Maternity classes, NHS vs NCT?

[Hodge85]

Hi,

I'm pretty new to the pregnancy journey and my husband and I are looking at antenatal classes to prepare us for what lies ahead.

I've had a quote from NCT and the classes are well over £200 so I've contacted the NHS to see what else is on offer. I've spoken to people who used NCT and couldn't praise them enough so I was just wondering what others thoughts and opinions were.

Thanks x

Honestly I was massively skeptical about NCT and my husband had to make me go to the classes. Actually they've turned out to be the best thing I've ever done. The women I met there got me through my maternity leave relatively unscathed and have become some very close friends.

I'm still friends with my NCT group 13 years on - by far the main advantage was a small group geared towards getting to know each other. I also did NHS classes but they were short and overcrowded. In terms of conveying information both were ok but more opportunity to ask questions in a small group. I'm sure with a book or t'internet you are not really short of sources of information. You can make friends by going to baby groups but honestly having a group of people going through it together in those early days was invaluable. We met up this summer - 7 couples, 18 kids!

Ah @Si1ver that's very reassuring, I must admit the people we know still meet up with their group nearly 3 years later

@patchworksack that's wonderful you're still friends with them after all of this time. It didn't occur to me about overcrowding with the NHS one.

I think I'm now convinced enough to go with NCT, thank you both

The NHS ones are busy, to the point and really aimed at telling you what the midwives want you to know. I found this really useful preparation for how they see pain relief, breastfeeding etc as after all it's the midwives who are with you at the birth. In my experience it's not the place necessary to go to make friends, as you're very in and out.

I didn't do NCT (couldn't justify the cost) but lots of people I know still meet up with their group 8 years later. Other people I know didn't get on with them at all and never bothered.

We've just started our NCT course and were very impressed by it. It is referred to by my colleagues (seriously and in a good way) as 'buying friends for maternity leave' and for me that's actually a very important part of it as I have no friends locally with children (only one and a brother not locally either!)

I did NHS but really wish we'd bitten the bullet and done nct, it's a large outlay, but as many have said, you make and keep friends. I'm the last in my friendship circle to have ba baby by 2 years, and there has been a definite shift in the last year within that group.

I did the NCT class and to be honest for me the class itself isn’t necessarily worth it - most of what they tell you, you can find online just researching pregnancy and labour or may know already

However I’d still recommend doing it...the people you meet will become you’re lifeline in those first few weeks/months with a newborn and are invaluable. We regularly joke that we’re the most expensive friends we’ve ever gained...as in fairness that’s why most of us went. To get that support network

I did NCT and don't think it was really worth it. The information was sketchy and not particularly useful and other than being pregnant at the same time the group had little in common. We haven't stayed in touch. I supppse it's a bit random whether or not you'll meet people who you get on with. Once DS had arrived I started going to some baby groups and met some lovely people who have become friends.

Personally I used the nhs and the classes were great. But if you can afford it, do both. Not for more knowledge - but for more friends! You can’t have too many friends with babies the same age to give you support after the birth.

I did both and by NHS classes were so much better. Information was great and prepared me much more fir the horrible birth I ended up having.

In terms of friendships, my NCT group were nice but I only really met up with two of them and by a year they had all moved away. I still see one of the mums I met at my nhs class 8 years later.

Its luck of the draw I guess.

I loved the NHS ones and there was a small group of us. We're still friends with one of the other couples and our boys are friends :-) Pay for it if you really do desperately want the friends but I would say that just a couple of friends is enough during maternity and you'll meet people in baby classes. Just gaining that one friend initially is great though to get up the courage to meet others and go to classes with them. Within the year people are back to work though and there's not actually much time to meet multiple mums so unless you make a very tight group of friends I wouldn't say £200 is worth it.

The NCT classes themselves aren't that great but you are buying the friendship group. I still meet with our group and we have a WhatsApp group for support. My best friend also did Nct and has nothing to do with her group now so there is always a chance you may meet couples you don't like much.

If you can't afford it I wouldn't worry - I've also met mums through baby classes whom I am friendly with and meet up for baby dates x

I’ve done both. NCT was fab and I’m still friends with over half of the group 15 years on. One of the ladies in our group had a still birth and met up with us after we all had our babies - I don’t hunk that would have happened in my nhs classes (although May have)
I think both were great for information.

The NCT will reduce costs if money is a barrier. When I was pregnant with dc1 I was a single parent and a student and I attended for free. I found the group very helpful - I moved before dc1 was born so didn't maintain contact.

Im not doing NCT. SOME classes are good and SOME women all stay in touch, however anecdotally ive heard its really hit and miss. One of my friends left the NCT group after the competitive healthiness during pregnancy boasting got too much.

I'd say it depends what you want. Do you just want info? If so you can just get that from your NHS classes (in my area you get 3 NHS classes; labour, life with baby and breast feeding).

Or do you want people to go on the pregnancy journey with? If so, then NCT type classes are probably best.

Also, NCT arent the only company that do ante natal stuff. Have a look at the Honest Midwife, thats an NCT type of thing too (although I dont think its a widespread as NCT, so could be really area dependant)

We've ask booked NCT - we couldn't find NHS classes that would fit around work for both of us (NCT offered to do it over a weekend) Plus I heard good things about smaller groups and getting to know other new mums and dads which I like the sound of.

Have booked**

Would have loved to do NCT but they just didnt fit in with mine or DH work schedules and were not flexible. My SIL did NCT and she is still very close to all the women in the group, they regularly meet up and the kids arw growing up together.

I did NHS and NCT and can honestly say, I was skeptical about NCT but it was so much better than the NHS one.

I started NCT and hated it! It was so 'fluffy' and wasn't as informative as I had hoped and I ended up complaining and not returning. The people on my NCT course were also not the type of people I would tend to mix with and completely took over and spoke over everybody. I ended up doing the NHS one and loved it! It was informative and the midwife who ran it was just so good and made it fun too! In my opinion I'd suggest saving your money for your baby!

I can't afford NCT so went to NHS one then Bump & Beyond free at surestart centres. Not over crowded and very well done. I did find NCT very pushy after I inquired about it...they phoned me 3 times :/ I clearly stated I cannot afford the class.

Check out www.thedaisyfoundation.com

There’s 120+ UK teachers. There are various options for classes and also some teachers are also trained in Postnatal too (inc baby massage)

Good Luck!

I only did NHS classes as I found the NCT classes too pricey and really wanted to meet parents from all walks of life... I am still very close to the mums from my NHS First Time Mums Group after 9 years.

There's no comparison, from my experience. The NCT ones are far far superior.
The NHS one was short and meaningless.
The NCT ones were not great in terms of information, but good for meeting people in similar circumstances, who helped each other through those early months.