Disappointed with ante-natal session and info from midwife team

[MrsCrimshaw]

This is my first pregnancy and I am 35 weeks. My husband and I spent today at an all-day NHS-run ante-natal session. We had been hoping for information about early parenting, seeing how none has been offered so far. We spent all day sat on unbearably uncomfortable chairs with other couples, being given information about labour and how the baby comes out. Which is fine, but we are none the wiser about caring for our little one when he/she arrives!
We were going to go to an NCT essentials course but were advised the content was the same as the NHS one, and when I did enquire they only had one space and I would have had to attend on my own. The NCT offfered us a place on the £200 one, which we really couldn't afford.
The midwives running the course today (it was for Dec/Jan due dates) said they were trying to get more things going at local Child and Family centres, for early parenting and breastfeeding etc, and I would need to speak to my midwife about this.
My concern is that throughout my pregnancy, the midwife team seem to have assumed that we have a clue about what is going on, even though this is my first. After the initial booking appointments, we were misinformed about how to book the scans. We also were given no information about how to choose which type of scan to have at 12 weeks, and treated disdainfully when we didn't know how to decide. My 17 and 24 week appointments were missed, because my midwife hadn't informed me that I "should have known" to call for an appointment around those dates. She said "I don't know how we missed you"! She also told me to text her any concerns, which I have done but I don't get replies. If I ask questions at appointments I get a disdainful response, like I am somehow beyond stupid for asking. I don't feel informed about anything, and the info I have gleaned is seemingly only given out reluctantly, or if I happen to ask the right question at the right time.
Most of the information we have found out is through looking online. Is this "hands off" approach the same for everyone? I know two other people who have had similar experiences to me. Our local child and family centre have listings online for workshops for July/August 2015.
We need to know how to care for our child when it is born, we are willing and able to attend local sessions, which just aren't publicised. I don't know what to do!!

My experience is midwife appointments are the bare minimum in England at least. I had a different midwife every appointment, no continuity of care, got kicked out of hospital before breast feeding established, missed tongue tie, no follow up health visitor for three weeks and only after I called (the fax was left on the machine or some BS). My only advice is if you need advice, shout up for it loudly and quickly, find out now who your nearest La Leche League peer supporter is and who the leader is BEFORE the birth so you have those numbers on speed dial, and rely on mumsnet for all the baby care questions as you get a wider range of answers. I did the antenatal course and a breast feeding course run by the health centre and neither prepared me for the reality. Not sure any course would have though! Honestly there are so many different problems you can face that it's hard to cover it all! Best to google! Also, DO NOT leave the hospital until you are happy that you can breast feed, I.e. You have done at least two feeds and that a midwife has watched you. Insist that you are not leaving until that is a box ticked. And look for tongue tie and if in doubt on anything else while you are in the hospital, don't leave until it's sorted because after that you're on your own.

Sorry don't want to make you paranoid further, but just that although they are very good at the birth bit in NHS hospitals, the post partum bit leaves much to be desired and you're on the clock as soon as the baby is out in the world.