Cancelled antenatal class

[Charliebigpotatoes]

I've just had a message cancelling my NHS antenatal classes tomorrow as apparently there are too many people on the list. I can't get hold of anyone now but I'm freaking out a bit.

I'm a FTM and have no idea what I'm doing. All my friends either don't have children or had them a long time ago.
I have anxiety issues and knowing I was getting some advice in the form of these classes was the only thing keeping my panic I'm check!!

I live in London and all my local private classes are sold out or over £400 which I just can't afford.

Please tell me it will all be ok!!??

Can anyone recommend any antenatal DVDs? We thought maybe that could be an option?

Have you looked up your local NCT classes?

To be honest, I knew precisely nothing either, and my antenatal classes were utterly useless. I think their only function is to make you feel like you're doing something rational! I think some people make quite good friends at them though, which might be useful.

I attended antenatal and I didn't find them a great deal of help to be fair. The only thing I found useful was the talk on pain relief but I'm sure you could just find the information regarding that from your midwife.

That seems a bit out of order, surely they should have known how many people there were before today! I think your only option is to try to get hold of them on Monday. I have a good book called the Pregnancy Encyclopedia which goes into a fair bit of detail on labour, birth and feeding which might be helpful if you've no other options xx

Antenatal groups are nice for making friends but I learnt sod all op so I wouldn’t worry on that front. There’s some fab books out there and watch birthing progmmes if you can

Just turn up and claim you didnt get the message

I have twins and didn’t go to them. Plenty of info and videos online - don’t panic!

I assume this was the NCT one day class at the hospital? I went to one and I honestly didn't learn anything new! They aren't much use!

Talk to your Midwife - she might be able to answer some questions

Look at private Midwife Centers. They may do a private consultation with you for a reasonable fee. Also look at anti natal yoga or Pilates. I learnt so much from the chats there! It was more about that than the yoga!

Read every forum you can! That's where I learnt the most!

What in particular are you worried about?

How many weeks pregnant are you?

I would suggest finding a good pregnancy yoga class as it shouldn't be too expensive and you will get some good relaxation sessions now, and also some breathing / relaxation techniques for the birth. Pregnancy yoga is nothing like "normal" yoga, it's very much focused on self-care.

I think what you would gain from the NHS class, which would more or less be the same as NCT and other expensive courses, is some info about the birth process, and the various pain relief and other interventions you may be offered or end up having. It's good to find out about them in advance so you are not trying to take in any new info when you are in labour. Perhaps discuss with your midwife and see if she can take you through this or recommend another way to get the info.

The only other thing you may get from a group course is a group of friends at the same stage as you, but you can meet people at other kinds of antenatal classes if that's important to you.

Good luck!

See if you have a local Children's Centre, they should run one. If they are full, ring anyway and explain your situation, they might be able to squeeze you in.

Try not to worry. Talk to your midwife, she will be able to help you if needed. As a recent FTM I can tell you I learnt sod all at the antenatal class......

If it's close enough I'd go anyway and claim not to have got the message cancelling you. Odds on there will be a few no shows on the day and if you get turned away you haven't lost anything.

Olaf that’s a great idea. I’d do that too. Just go anyway. I guarantee someone won’t turn up and someone else will leave early.

I didn't even get offered a class on the nhs in either of my pregnancies. I don't think they'd have taught me anything anyway. Not that I had any idea about a new born. I learnt 'on the job'. We've done okay.

Thank you. You've put my mind at rest.

NCT near me is the only thing still available and that's £400. I'm just not willing to pay that.

I'm just unsure on things like when to bathe them and do I use nappy cream on a newborn and how will I know if they're too hot and my partner has never changed a nappy!! I know it might sound silly but I'm scared of getting things wrong! Now I've written it out actually, I feel really silly!!

I just need to get a list of questions together and ask my midwife I think!

Breathing techniques sounds like a good idea, thank you.

Honestly get yourself on YouTube. So much better than an antenatal class! They’re really shit in comparison to just googling and YouTube.

You’ll soon find that your anxiety is normal and there’s really nothing to worry about

Charlie unlike many other posters here I really got a lot out of my NHS ante-natal class (and the NCT, which we did later). I really would just turn up today anyway. There will be no-shows.

Your health visitor and the midwives/nurses at the hospital will be FAR more useful. It's all too abstract before there is an actual baby bottom right there!

There is also a load of free info on Baby Centre here - it says it is designed to supplement antenatal classes but it looks fairly comprehensive to me.

I agree, turn up, say you don't have get the message.

If you want to do NCT, I believe the system allows for people who are struggling to pay for them. If you are on a low income or certain benefits you can get up to a 90% reduction in the fees.

How many weeks are you?

Can't you ring them and ask them to put you on the next lot of classes?

Otherwise yeh, just turn up!

But also, you'll be fine-women have been giving birth for millennia without antenatal classes-don't worry!!

I didn't go to a single class and my twins and I are fine. Don't worry.

I have never been to a class and managed my way through 4DC.

You learn as you go. Things are a million times easier now that we have the internet.

I'm just unsure on things like when to bathe them and do I use nappy cream on a newborn and how will I know if they're too hot

These things all have several answers, none of which are right or wrong. You just work out as you go what old for you and your baby. From what I have read on forums some people bath baby every night as part of bedtime routine from day one, others bath once a week. You do what suits you and your baby

and my partner has never changed a nappy!!

I hadn't even held a baby before I had my first let alone done a nappy change. We learn.

Don't worry about ante natal. You don't need them. You will have midwife then HV support when baby is small as well, but it's important to remember most of them will tell you their one and only opinion on how to do things, you can work out your own routine.

I actually learnt more googling than at the classes!
But just to help out,
Bathe them when you want but nothing more than sponge baths until the umbilical cord comes off, if it's on there for longer than two weeks or smells weird or looks red, sore and hot go to gp or call midwife / hv.
If they start sweating they are way too hot, check their chest to judge how warm they are, rule of thumb is one layer more than you (generally a vest).
Nappy creams etc only if there is nappy rash.
You can always ask a health care assistant or midwife to be with you when you/he changes the nappy, just to support you and confirm you are doing the right thing.
You'll do great, you never know, instinct might just kick in and you'll wonder what you were worried about!