NCT classes- Yay or nay?

[Rosehyd2]

Has anyone been to NCT classes before or signed up to them this time around?

They've been recommended to me by a friend so I've done some research. Locally it's £130 for the Essentials course (there's a more expensive option too, Signature I think). The website says this is "A 14 hour course. This consists of 6 evening sessions. There is also a 2 hour reunion for all course participants with their new baby after the births."

If I'm honest, they mainly appeal because of the chance to meet local mums due the same time as me. But it seems silly to pay a lot of money for that, even though it's priceless really as it would keep me sane.

What do you think?

I found it good at the time - invaluable to meet a group who are all going through what you're going through at the same time (6 of us all gave birth within the same fortnight). Whats apping in the small hours was great. However they've not been long-lasting friends since we went back to work at about a year. I've since moved and see them maybe once every few months. At 39 i was the oldest by 5 years (and dp by 10) so we felt a bit out of the group for that reason

Info i found quite useful but no real difference from nhs course.

Currently doing our course and it's been better than I thought. I think it depends a lot on your teacher. I expected it to all be natural birth, essential oils and breastfeeding. But we've had some frank and helpful discussions about pain relief including epidurals, and next we we're covering c-sections. The women in the group seems to be getting on ok, not everyone is engaging in the social side but over half seem keen and are very nice. Sadly the men don't seem to be as keen on making friends, one guy tried to organise drinks and only a few of the guys responded - but maybe they've been dragged along by their wives?! Too early to say if it'll help me in labour but I haven't learned some useful bits. Bloody expensive though, £300 here!

Didn't do NCT but when I had my first child 17 yrs ago the local NHS ran a postnatal group for a 6-week period. So we all had the babies already. Cost nothing and still friends with the majority of them now, with kids all going through drunken parties/learning to drive/A levels at the same time. It's great to have friends who are going through the same thing at the same time so if you get the chance, either through NCT or local groups, I'd say go for it. You could make lifelong friends.

Thanks everyone, it's a real mix of feedback. I wasn't aware there was an NHS alternative so I'll do a Google search and see what's it in my area.

I'm really keen to meet local mums that are up for staying in touch, socialising, being a support network etc but it sounds like that can be hit and miss.

First time round I did the NHS course. Everyone was within walking distance and I am still friends with one 20 years later.

Didn't bother with 2&3. Met people through various local groups - baby massage, sing a long, book stuff etc.

Number 4, wish I hadn't bothered. Everyone lived a distance from each other. Nearest was about half an hour on the bus. Even in my late 20's I was still the youngest there. Went back to the local groups as with 2&3 and met people that way.

There may be more than NCT and NHS; I live in a small town and there are two independent providers who run group courses - they're both midwives and one is also a lactation specialist and craniologist too. Worth a search around!

Best friends I ever bought!!!!
Honestly, I Love them. Nothing like the early baby day bonding experience.

And that was 5 years ago.

I made a friend for life through ours but don't really see the others now a year on. We had a small group of 5 and another couple we gelled with moved overseas. Information wise I'd say take it all with a giant pinch of salt, they are very pro breastfeeding (I did breastfeed but still I think it was pushed on people way too heavily in the sessions) and they are also pro no intervetion or drugs, again I didn't have much in the end but it can make people bad if they do. I had diamorphine too late to make any difference to my pain because they'd told me it was the same group as heroin so I kept refusing to have it! It is expensive but I'm glad we did ours.

I'm in the middle of the course, I think it's good because it gets the men involved. Our teacher is really good at making it a shared experience and the NHS ones are in working hours so dh couldn't come! I also haven't found it particularly biased and when she's talked about breathing and relaxation she's talked about them for c-sections too! There is a breastfeeding class as part of the course but the NHS also advocate breastfeeding so I feel like that's what you will get from either! Not sure about friendships yet but I'm happy with the course anyway! We've also talked a lot about helping baby sleep and calming them and when we've talked about essential oils it's mainly been in relation to early labour, which most people will experience! They're not drs so I don't think they're well placed to talk about pain relief, if that's what you want to learn, you need to talk to your midwife. The only thing I've not been sure about is the chat on co-sleeping... hope that helps!?