Annoyed with NCT!

[gemmaj66]

I've signed up for childbirth classes with the NCT. I booked weeks ago, paid £156 and was assured I'd be in a small group of 6 couples. Course starts tomorrow.

DH has a long commute and doesn't get home usually until 7.30pm but he's arranged to leave work early every Tuesday so he can come with me to the classes.

Then at 5.30 this evening the NCT called me and asked me to change to a class beginning tonight as tomorrow's class is oversubscribed! Couldn't hear the lady very well as I was in Ikea! But think she said there'll be 10 couples tomorrow where-as tonight's class is low on numbers.

I know she's only asking and I can say no - which I did, but I would have expected the NCT to be a bit more organised. Surely they can count? Why not stop booking people on to the course once you reach the magic 6 couples???

And it's a bit bloody crap ringing someone 2 hours before the course starts!

Is anybody else attending NCT classes? Please tell me it's worth it as this has really put me off going - she made me feel like a naughty girl because I couldn't swap class!

It is all organised by volunteers at a local level so be a little gentle... They still shouldn't have rung you with such short notice though.

We have 8 couples in our class and I've really enjoyed it. Even research obsessed me has learnt something and I think it's given DH some space to think it all through.

Mmmm.. I am probably not the best person to be positive about NCT. My op on the following thread pretty much says a lot about my thoughts on NCT...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1884172-AIBU-to-think-NCT-classes-are-a-waste-of-time-money

It's really worth it! Just waiting to go in for our last class now. There are 9 couples in our group and I'm quite shy but it's not been a problem and has had no bearing on my enjoyment/the quality of teaching. Enjoy :)

Can I add the classes have improve any since the above post..

That should be have not improved

there were 9 couples in our class and other than one who never spoke to anyone after the last meeting, the rest of us are still in contact 3 years and many second family members later, it was some of the best pregnancy money we spent.

It is not organised by volunteers, it is organised by paid employers of the NCT. The maximum number of couples is 8 usually ( 9 by special permission of the teacher). So there is no excuse for this cock-up. Not the teachers fault in any way.

What happens is that the organiser will have been phoned by disorganised couples who have suddenly realised that their EDD is looming and they haven't booked a course.

Because NCT organisers are generally very nice people who bend over backwards to accommodate people, they will book an extra couple of couples on the course taking it to 8 or so couples, then they will start looking into the logistics of running an extra course (are there any venues available, will there be enough extra couples to be able to break even on the course etc. etc.)

Your local organiser has enough people to run two courses, but everyone is booked on the original course. She is now asking if any of these couples would like to change to the quieter course - to even out the bookings so that both courses are closer to having 6 couples.

If they turned people away once they had booked the 6 original places, you would have people complaining about not having access to any antenatal courses at all.

It sounds like the organiser is damned whatever she does.

Thanks all for the positive comments! I've been really looking forward to these classes. Even though I'm having DC4, DC3 was 18 years ago so I felt I needed a refresher.

It was just that the lady on the phone was a bit shirty and I'm super-emotional at the moment...

LittlePeaPod I am working my way through your NCT thread! Thanks for the link.

I know several NCT volunteers (and paid teachers) and honestly they do their best, but juggling course numbers VS people's due dates while avoiding Christmas, can be a nightmare.

This happened to me, was asked to move to a later class as the one I was booked on had 10 couples and mine was the latest due date. Ended up in a class with just 4 couples, and we had a really good time. Am still in touch 6 years on, we now have 10 children between us :-)

NCT was best money I spent when pregnant with DC1. 6 couples and 1 single mum in our class. We're all still in touch now and I am very close friends with 2 of the women. We see each other at least once a week, babysit for each other, have great evenings out etc.

Well worth it IMO. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

I do take your point MrsCakes, but what upset me was being asked to change to a class 2 hours before it started and being made to feel like a naughty kid because I couldn't! I'd been eagerly anticipating the classes and it spoiled it a little for me, that's all.

We actually tried to book classes initially when I was 5 weeks preg as we'd been told they can fill up fast. Was told this wasn't necessary! But we ended up booking early on still and because of DH's commute we really can't change the dates now.

Thanks again all for the positive comments