What's everyone's opinions on NCT classes?

[tittletattoo]

I've just booked up for a 19 hour course and wanted to hear some of your experiences thanks!!

Really enjoyed ours, our teacher was very informative, covered all the important topics and created a really nice relaxed atmosphere where you could ask lots of questions and not feel silly. Lots of useful medical/pain relief info, not just stuff about relaxation/breathing etc... Most importantly we met lots of nice couples due at a similar time to us and have since set up a WhatsApp group/arranged meet ups etc... I would recommend!

Classes were helpful but the best bit was meeting other mums to be. My baby is 18 weeks and I see the mums I met at NCT about every other week. It's great to have people who are going through the same thing.

At almost 7 the NCT group children are closer to DD than her cousins (and the parents are my tribe).

Worth every single penny.

It's an expensive way to make friends, but four years later we still meet fairly often. We were very close in the early baby days, and it's good to have friends with children who my children have known forever.

Loved the classes, found them really informative and useful as did my husband. He was amazing throughout my labour and that's mostly thanks to how much he'd learnt at those classes. I wasn't fussed about meeting other mums but we all see each other regularly - with and without dads - so that aspect has been a total bonus even though it wasn't why I signed up. Won't do it again this time because I've already been there, done that, but I'm really, really glad I did NCT.

Classes were useful, but as others have said, the best bit was the other people on the course.
When we were on maternity leave we'd meet up every week and most people went back to work part time so we carried on meeting up until the children started school (and beyond for those of us that went on to have more children). Now our first borns are starting secondary school and we still meet up but now it's nights out to catch up on news rather than children get togethers!
A group of people who are all going through the same worries, problems etc as you is wonderful. I'd have been lost without them!

Our group didn't especially gel and despite best efforts we rarely met up afterwards which I found really disappointing. It's by no means guaranteed friendships, although I still see one person occasionally from my group.

The teaching wasn't especially good either and very much focused on natural birth without intervention or problems which only one person in the group had.

I think they vary dramatically depending on the class leader.

I never did them I was scared really and thought it might be better if I didn't know. I regret it now if only to meet only parents to be.

We still meet up with our kids a decade on. Classes were quite in depth with regards to birth, covered interventions and sections really well. Slightly rose tinted when it came to bf though.

With a first baby it can be quite comforting to see other babies of similar age. You might think yours is doing something 'weird' then you discover many babies do it!
If your local group does coffee mornings and/or 'pizza nights' that can be fun to meet other new parents.

My NCT group have been absolute lifesavers. They are such a fantastic group of ladies and the dads are great to. I would be lost without them. The course itself was good too. Although the breastfeeding bit was a bit ridiculous as there was no mention of potential issues and we all had some!

I'm still friends with my NCT groups 3 years later. It was lovely in the first year on maternity leave seeing them every week.

Aww thank you all so much for your comments , it's made me super excited for them now!! I'm not a particularly sociable person so was hoping it would be a nice way to make some friends locally who are going through the same life events! Xx

My mil's nct group still meet annually 30+ years later!

Classes were a total waste of time but I met lovely friends who I see some of most weeks whilst on Mat leave. Everyone loves so close and the babies are all going through the same at same times. Completely worth it for that.

*lives not loves

Worth every penny! Same info as at our NHS classes but much easier to get to know the other couples. Met lots of lovely people and don't regret the expense in the least.

Mine also covered interventions, pain relief and c-sections in sufficient detail too, so I think it must vary quite a bit depending on who's taking the class.

My experience of NCT was grim. I was new to the area, moved becaue of dh's job, no family nearby. I was suffering from severe pnd and was persuaded by a well meaning health visitor that nct would be a good idea.
I can honestly say that when I was at my lowest, it would have been hard to meet a more smug, unwelcoming and judgemental bunch of women. I was made to feel bad about bottle feeding, about using a dummy, feeding 4 hourly - all the things i was doing just to keep my head above water.
I wish i could confront those women now. I'd love the opportnity to get them to explain what made them feel good about making a new mum, just moved to the area, with no family support topple even further into depression.
So no, I'd actually avoid them like the plague.

I'm a shy person, got pregnant the week I moved house.
The people I met through nct have been my lifeline for last 16 months. I see and speak to them at least weekly, often more. In the early days we would chat on messenger- often through the night. There was usually someone up at same time. Best money I ever spent.

Definitely worth it. My group leader was fantastic and informative on all aspects of pregnancy, child birth and early days afterwards. I was also incredibly lucky to have a group of great couples who have continued to meet up regularly since the babies were born (almost 2 years ago).

The only thing I would say is listen to what they say about breastfeeding but don't take it as gospel and do your own research as I found them very pro breastfeeding to the point that I was given some inaccurate information about combination feeding but that's a good way to take any information given related to parenting.

Worth every penny. If you're someone who reads up on pregnancy/birth or does something like a hypnobirthing course (also worry every penny) then you probably won't get much in terms of new info BUT having people going through what you are T the same time is invaluable.

I don't think I'd have made it through the past 2 months without my nct whatsapp for 3am chats and questions, and regular meet ups for sanity. And my son has ready made friends!

Good for friendships, but the classes are totally biased towards natural birth and give inaccurate information in order to ram breastfeeding down your throat. Very middle class.

I have some friends who did then. Apparently they say when you bathe your baby the water should be entirely sterilized (ie boiled then cooled to the right temperature)