NCT class cancelled

[burritofan]

Gah! I've found NCT pretty incompetent from the start (why can't you just book a course? Why do you have to register your interest and be sent 10,000 overwritten emails ? Just take my money!) and now they've cancelled my course with four weeks' notice!

All they've offered us instead of a 2-weekend course is a 9-weekday-evening course (DP can't do weekday evenings, it's why we booked the weekend course!) & half the dates are after my due date. All their other courses are booked up or not suitable.

Desperate googling reveals there's naff all available unless I want to go alone, travel for miles, do some yoga instead of learning anything, or have a private one-on-one hypnobirthing session. We've got a one-day, all-day NHS class booked – someone reassure me that's all I'll need?

(Not worried about the making friends with babies aspect - which is why they cancelled, not enough in the group - I wanted the actual course content!)

Do you have a branch if Daisy Foundation in your area?

thedaisyfoundation.com/

You absolutely and categorically do not need the course content. I needed the network which is why I did it. The best it did was give us fodder for some giggles which the 7 of us still have 8 years later.

Your one day course will be fine.

There is a baby coming out. It will hurt a bit. You will get better. If you want to breastfeed, always remember that guiding the baby’s nose towards the nipple rather than the mouth is a better way to get a good latch and MAKE a breastfeeding trained midwife help you in the hospital so you get a good grounding in the very beginning.

Good luck!

Technical course content no different/better than NHS classes (and we only get 2*2 hours NHS here!) NCT did over push the vaginal/medication free/ avoid induction agenda a bit heavily handledly ( I went in with my eyes open). What was good - and why we did the course - is that they spent A LOT more time preparing you as couple and asking you as a couple how you would feel/ react to certain situations

There are some Daisy Foundation classes but they're all for mums only, I want my partner in on this! He's 50% responsible for the upcoming pelvic floor showdown.

@oh4forkssake – thanks for the reassurance! I've read every book I can get my hands on (and read every birth story on MN I think!), I just wanted the in-person experience. Plan to breastfeed and was looking forward to the class on it! I guess if I don't manage to get BF help at the hospital I can throw my NCT money at a fancy lactation consultant instead.

You really don’t need these courses. Please don’t stress yourself out.

It was the networking I got from the NCT.
The basic information was forthcoming from my NHS class.
For me, the camaraderie that came from my NCT group, was immeasurably helpful with breastfeeding. I think it helped DH as well, as the partners were fully expectant of what ebf entails.
So I would say you will be fine with NHS but maybe explore breastfeeding support groups if you intend to give it a go.

I joined a free Nhs one for new parents. It was horrendous. I went to two sessions and skipped the rest. Never did an NCT one either and made friends at baby groups after my baby arrived so I wouldn't worry.

OK, you're all making me feel a lot better! Think I've had one of those "too many things" weeks & this (and hormones ) sent me over the edge.

Plenty of friends with babies ranging from new to toddling who I'm sure can point me to BF groups and we've both changed dozens of nappies, it's just that fear of the unknown... I wasn't even that afraid of childbirth til they took my class on it from me!

Going to breathe into a paper bag and eat the baby's weight in Haribo. Thank you all!

Daisy classes aren't all for Mum only?

They offer workshops for you both too. There's an active Birth workshop or a Parent course which is 14.5hrs and covers before and after baby including a session on Feeding for you both to attend.

Maybe your local teacher hasn't got these listed on her page? Happy to help you find your closest teacher?

thedaisyfoundation.com/active-birth-workshop/

thedaisyfoundation.com/daisy-parent/

@GoodMorningSunshine The only ones near me are.

Do you want to pm me your area? I'll have a look for you as our brand new website has had some gremlins and isn't showing all the information 👎🏻

@GoodMorningSunshine Ah, thank you; that's kind! I'm on the app & don't know how to PM; I'm in Brighton & all that's showing as available is an expectant mums-only one on Monday evenings. There's other stuff further afield but too tricky for us to get to (eg Crowborough)

@burritofan I think you can only PM when not in the app. Leave it with me and I'll ask on our teacher forum and come back to update you.

@GoodMorningSunshine Cheers! I appreciate it.

Our NHS sessions were really good! I didn't feel the need for anything else, so hopefully yours will be good too.

I didn’t do a class of any kind and still managed to give birth twice and fees my babies!

You’ll be fine!

Feed!

I didn't find the NcT breastfeeding session that helpful to be honest - a bit too "it will be magical and wonderful". If you want to bf but want/need support then def go for bf drop in groups.
Friends to whatsapp at 3am also useful!
Good luck x

For online support I found the BabyCentre app birth groups really useful and supportive. My friend told me about them.

www.babycentre.co.uk

I’d be careful about daisy. I did the old daisy classes which were great but apparently there has been a change in owner and some of the messages around natural birth are now a bit more extreme. If you’re happy about meeting people then your 1 day nhs class will be fine. The education aspect of Nct was a bit rubbish and most of ours was about group bonding.

The NHS sessions we had locally made me feel more than prepared - two sessions, first all about labour and birth, and second about practically caring for baby (sleep/feeding/bathing etc). I really didn't feel like I needed more following them, and hadn't had the blindest clue beforehand!

Just attend any free nhs classes and engage common sense drive - nct trades on peoples insecurities and having more money than sense. Didn't attend them with my first and was just fine. I would warn against baby books too unless you plan on reading several as then tend to just be pushing the authors narrow vision of parenting rather than a simple reference guide.

Good point about the books @anniehm. OP, over the years I’ve noticed a strong correlation between the style/personality of advocates and their favourite author. You’ll find the book that suits you.

I’ve a friend who swore by the Baby Whisperer whereas if someone had told me to shush-pat one more fucking time.....

Oh, and public service announcement.

NOT ALL BABIES LIKE SLINGS!!

As your were

(Moi, bitter? noooooooo)

NCT cancelled my course for the same reason. Was very annoying.

We did the Birth Matters NHS course. I wouldn’t say it was that great but I got the basics and did meet someone who has turned out to be the best friend I could have hoped for. Plus our kids our still best friends years and years later