NCT Class-first timer

[devilishlygood]

I’m 37, have 7 younger siblings, a bunch of godchildren that I have looked after and been involved with since birth, so for me, NCT or any other antenatal class wasn’t really a big deal.

But on DH’s insistence, I booked and paid for ridiculously priced Signature NCT so that we can get to know other couples in our local area and so that DH and I can share the journey a bit.

And now he’s cancelled out first class tonight because his son called and wants to see his dad! I’m sitting here, feeling a bit WTAF!

AIBU, and is it ok to turn up at the first sesh with no birthing partner? I feel a bit let down to be honest and I’ve made it a bit clear to DH.

Yeah I'd go along solo. You'll get to meet everyone and we never did anything couple-specific at our classes anyway. In fact there was often a partner missing for one reason or another. Annoying he has cancelled at short notice but hopefully he will attend next time.

Yeah I would still go, when we did the course a number of the sessions included missing partners due mostly to work commitments.

Hope you went! Partner or not, I'd def go along to the first session. Lots of people have work or other committments these days - at the first of my NCT sessions one husband came alone and explained his wife was working and would just come next time. And some people are going it alone in pregnancy anyway.

I did! And DH made the session just missed the first 20mins.

I found it really helpful and it’s so nice to meet other couples and parents-to-be in the local area. NCT has quite a bad reputation on MN which is why I was apprehensive about going alone, but I didn’t meet anyone in the 2.5hrs who raised flags for me 😊

@devilishlygood I’m glad you went! I felt the same was quite apprehensive but I’m still friends with my group 3 years later.

Tbh, unless you were at the birth of all of your siblings/god children and fed them yourself then it doesn't really matter how much experience with kids you have as the NCT course focuses more on the labour itself, how your birthing partner can help, what to expect from different birth scenarios (induction, epidural, c section etc), when to go to hospital and then feeding rather than "this is how to change a nappy" as they've got another early days course for when the baby is born to teach you that if you want to pay for it. You'd have had to have been heavily involved in the birth of the babies you do know/gave birth to them yourself in order to know all of that stuff just due to the fact you know so many babies, in my opinion. I know you can find most of the above out online/in books so NCT isn't vital but you're essentially buying friends for your maternity leave who are going through the same thing at the same time in the same area, which is very important. I'm glad you enjoyed it more than you thought, and your husband could get there.

I loved NCT.. I think maybe I was lucky but I met 5 like minded mums and we remain in daily contact two years later & meet up regularly! No-one pushed us into breastfeeding or specific births etc.. it was just sensible advice & sign posting. We all supported each other heavily early on & there’s never been a minutes judgement on how people have chosen to feed, wean, parent, discipline etc .. I’m a bit shy & I really appreciated going to baby classes with my new friends as the more confident among us chatted away to new people & I just joined in. On my own, I’d have found it very hard!

We are now starting to have second babies between us which is lovely too!