Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Flip

Original poster

NCT - would you recommend?

9 replies

zestardust · 12/12/2018 22:37

So I had the first scan today and it was pretty overwhelming. And real! My partner already has two older children and this wasn’t planned - it was very much a shock and we haven’t had the smoothest path to where we are now, but post scan he was totally entranced and started talking about NCT classes.

I kind of assumed we wouldn’t do them - his initial attitude before today was ‘I’ve done all that/this isn’t a big thing for me/etc’ and honestly, group sessions about anything make me so anxious.

I’d kind of planned to do my own thing with online courses, to look more at hypobirthing to help with my anxieties etc, but would you recommend NCT? And what can you expect?

We’re in Middlesex if that helps, don’t know if anyone has personal experience there.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Tryingtothinkofaclevername · 12/12/2018 22:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

zestardust · 12/12/2018 22:49

Thanks @tryingtothinkofaclevername - my partner is so keen but I think he just wants to make new dad friends.

I keep getting ads for them on social media and the pictures of everyone sitting on those giant balls gives me anxiety (god knows it’s all how we got into this in the first place I suppose...) but I hate doing any kind of demonstratey-type thing in front of people. Argh!

OP posts:

IdblowJonSnow · 12/12/2018 22:53

In my experience it's the mums who make and stay friends, much less the dad's. I did it to make friends and it was successful to a point although there was some odd competitiveness at points. The actual info delivered was horse shit though.

CrazyOldBagLady · 12/12/2018 22:56

I found the classes really informative and felt as prepared as I could be for labour after I'd had them. We both learnt so much and really enjoyed them. The trainer was excellent. They were leagues ahead of the free classes put on by the local children's centre. We were lucky that our group gelled and spent lots of time together during mat leave and have an active WhatsApp group. Remains to be seen how much longevity the friendships will have now everyone is returning to work, but I'm hopeful that we will all remain in touch as the kids grow. I would absolutely recommend the course to any new parent. It's particularly helpful for the mum to prepare for childbirth I would say.

Sweepington · 12/12/2018 22:59

Mine was a day course but it was all day. Really enjoyed it! Didn’t make any mum friends because I was ready to give birth (infant at one point we thought I had gone into labour) and the other ladies had eight weeks or so to go.
One day was much better because I know what I’m like and I would’ve sacked off a few weeks

Original poster

zestardust · 12/12/2018 23:06

The only ones I’ve found are across four weeks! My partner is still in touch with some of the dads from when his first child was small nearly 20 years ago - they do annual camping trips so I guess he’s keen to recreate all that again..

Thank you all for your views, it’s really interesting. I suppose ultimately if he wants to do it I need to consider it, but I am just not convinced.

OP posts:

RubyBoots7 · 12/12/2018 23:10

I think it's horses for courses and depends very much on who you get in your group and what else you have in your area to meet other new parents and babies.

Personally NCT was the best thing we did. Mostly for me as we mums have given each other so much support pre and post baby. (The info was okay but I knew a lot from elsewhere. It was helpful for DH to learn from a third party). I have met other mums through certain groups but a lot of activities you just turn up, do the thing and go, and there isnt a lot of opportunity to build good relationships. I'm closest to my NCT mums by far. We're all quite different and probably wouldn't have come together in any other scenario bit it works. Also having a new baby is really hard. Like proper ball breakingly tough, especially for the first few weeks (fourth trimester). I don't think you realise before as you are so focused on popping the baby out. For me having other new mums I could message at 3am to say aaargh my baby is doing x was a lifesaver. I know not everyone bonds with their NCT group in that way. If you can afford it though I think give it a chance and all you've lost is the money if you don't make friends. But the potential gain if you do get on is priceless.

EvilEdna1 · 12/12/2018 23:14

I am.an NCT Practitioner so I run antenatal courses. There is no sitting around in a circle on balls in my sessions (I only have one for a start) but I do invite the group to try good birth positions in a couple of sessions but if someone doesn't want to take apart that's fine with me...no pressure. Some Dad's to fine really good friends but not always. Most mums but friends but not always. All courses are run quite differently and groups have different dynamics so can't draw too many conclusions from other people's experiences.

problembottom · 12/12/2018 23:24

I’ve just done NCT (2 full days & one evening) and I would recommend. The course leader was brilliant, so funny and knowledgeable, and the other couples were lovely and are very local. Us women have already met up pre-babies imminent arrival and the what’s app group is reassuring for pregnancy panic! I’m confident we’ll be meeting up lots when the babies arrive which is what I most wanted.

Flip