NCT classes - worth it?

[H8624]

I'm due January so plenty of time yet but trying to get organised!

Did you take NCT classes or not bother? And if you did do you think they were worth it and beneficial? They're quite pricey aren't they!

I did NCT and thought it was great. The best bit was meeting other mums-to-be all at a similar gestation and we formed a fab friendship group. It was really supportive. My DS is now 6 and I'm meeting up with one of them on Sunday!

I didn’t bother, I felt it was an expensive way to potentially make mum friends. I did the 1 free class on the nhs and their breastfeeding class and felt I knew enough. Don’t really know how they spread it over so many classes, (such a example of how extraordinary complicated the middle classers love to make things.)
On the flip side I know people who still speak to friends from their nct group.

Me and DH found it quite a nice bonding experience as a couple. That said if it's still virtual I wouldn't spend that much money.

I wouldn’t if it was virtual, the information is all online/nhs website so nothing really useful. However I still regularly chat with the other mums from my course and 4 of us are expecting 2nd babies at the same time so I’ve made some really good mum friends from it and had plans all through mat leave

It was nice at the time and we were friendly for the first year or two but then petered out. I didn't really care but they all had much posher houses than me! My long term baby friends are from the NHS classes as we all lived in the same town.

Thanks all for sharing :)

I did the zoom classes. I have done a lot of research about everything pregnancy and baby so I actually found that the NCT class didn't add to my knowledge (I could have talked for several hours on each of the points covered by the instructor in each half hour period - not because I'm more knowledgeable but just because I'd so much time to do the research and she was limited in the time she had to teach). If you are a reader and researcher then don't expect to learn anything new but if not (like most of the other couples in my group) you get a really good base knowledge of everything needed. What I did like was that it got my OH up to speed with what I already knew and provided points for us to discuss later. I also did find it a really good refresher and did learn a couple of bits.
Obviously the bonding with other couples wasn't as good as if it had been face to face but we have an actual whatsapp group and will definitely meet up when possible.
In short there are pros and cons. I personally wouldn't spend the money again but I had spent lots of money on books and other courses in advance when actually NCT would have provided all that information for an overall cheeper price.

Best thing I did! I'm very close to my group 3 years on