What are your thoughts on NCT classes?

[Littlebee1990]

First time Mumma to be here, due in May! Lots of friends with babies so I can lots off them but I’m tempted to sign up to a local NCT class for the educational and social aspect (even if it may be online still in March)

I’d love to get peoples thoughts and experiences.

Those with children- Have you done NCT and what did you think?

First time mummas - Will you be doing NCT?

The free classes aren’t being run in my area due to budget cuts so that’s not an option x

Ours was good, and it was useful for DH as he really didn't know much about the ins and outs of birth. Prices weren't hugely high where we were, and I found the information useful and made some friends.

We did it on zoom during lockdown - the info was good and included lots of detail on CS as well as 'natural' birth etc so it didn't feel too biased. We mainly did it to meet other parents though and that side of things has been great, especially since there aren't many baby groups running now. It wasn't that expensive here either, about £130 I think.

I didn't do it, and I don't feel I missed anything in terms of the teaching. I regretted not doing it after DS was born, because when I went to baby groups most of the other mums arrived, chatted and departed with their NCT group. I had to attend groups in a neighbouring area (where NCT is less prevelant) to make friends!

So basically, if you're in an NCT area then go, if you aren't don't bother.

I was put off NCT when I emailed them a few queries and the answers came back really short and vague. Things like who's teaching the course and coverage of medical interventions.
I've gone with 'bump & baby club' classes- they were cheaper aswell.

Did my course 14 years ago. Still in daily contact with my group plus a couple of others that we took from the group before and the group after. Best baby money we spent by far. Yes it's expensive but have made it back many times over in shared birthday parties, hand me down clothes, and free childcare & therapy

Content was truly bollocks but I think it's worth it for the social side unless you know a good number of people with under-1s who you're friendly with, imo (or do another pregnancy activity like yoga). It's great to have people to talk to in the middle of the night, compare experiences with, go out with in the early days etc.

DD is now 3. I haven't seen my NCT group in 2 years or so, and actually there were some of them that I didn't see at all past 2/3 mums. Would still do it again.

Mine didn't really prepare me for labour going a bit wonky and needing a CS. You don't learn anything you wouldn't learn if you read a book. You might meet nice people, or you might not. That side is a lottery. I'm in touch with my NCT class but not often and we don't have much in common.

I think if you are up for reading about labour, you don't need it. If books are not for you then a class will help.

We've just finished ours and we found it really useful. It was delivered on zoom rather than face to face but it was fine as our tutor was really engaging and good with the technology, could imagine it's luck of the draw though if they aren't very good at the technology side.
I'm surprised a lot of people said the content is rubbish, I found it really informative and the tutor sends out a padlet afterwards with the links to all the articles and info. I guess you could find out all the info yourself for free but it was good to be given it on a plate when there's already lots to be thinking about.
I would agree it is more biased to natural birth and breastfeeding but that's what I'm aiming for anyway so I didn't mind.
The social side is harder as it's harder to get a feel for people online but we often broke out into break off groups and had nice chats. Once lockdown/restrictions are over we're all planning to meet and we have a WhatsApp group.
I would say go for it if it's affordable.

I’m glad I went to NCT classes, having a group of women going through the same as me, especially after the birth, was a life saver.

Forgot to add that the ‘mum friends’ I find the easiest company I naturally picked up at the local baby / toddler group but their children tend to be a bit older. Also as you don’t know when things like this will be running, NCT is a way to meet people now. I think the lockdown would push me towards doing it more for that reason.

NCT is a way to meet people now. I think the lockdown would push me towards doing it more for that reason

Really good point.

I got so pissed off with their ridiculous middle class gatekeeping (my local class was being held in like an organic cheese farm in the middle of nowhere - with no public transport and not even pavements to walk there - rather than anywhere in the actual city it was supposed to serve) that I decided I couldn't be arsed with them. Doesn't seem to have caused me any problems!

Thank you everyone, lots of different opinions!

@TheYearOfSmallThings

NCT is a way to meet people now. I think the lockdown would push me towards doing it more for that reason

Really good point.

Also agree with this.

I got so pissed off with their ridiculous middle class gatekeeping (my local class was being held in like an organic cheese farm in the middle of nowhere - with no public transport and not even pavements to walk there - rather than anywhere in the actual city it was supposed to serve) that I decided I couldn't be arsed with them. Doesn't seem to have caused me any problems!

All true. It is blatant middle class bum sniffing, which is partly why I didn't do it.
But...this year, with no baby groups running...I would grit my teeth and sign up.

@TheStripes

"I told my course leader I was having an elective section because I wanted one and she was wry supportive. She even found a video of a gentle c section to show us all and was very insistent the best birth was the one that suited the mother best of all."

I'm so pleased that was your experience. Great to hear.

We did nct and the leader was pleasant but a stereotypical NCTer, gushing about how easy and natural it all is. DH and I were amused and took it with a pinch of salt but you could see the others drinking it in and believing that epidurals were the devils work.

That aside we made some good friends and were in touch for many years. Mostly fizzled out now though.

It's really pot luck on who you get but if you won't otherwise have people to hang out with on mat leave then it might be worth a go.

It was worth every penny for me, that first year I saw Nct buddies every week they kept me sane! We've even been in holiday we've friends we made there. Appreciate its not quite the same online though x

I went and really liked it. I'm a doctor but I still felt I learned things- particularly about breastfeeding which we get taught nothing about at uni.

There were a single parent and a same sex couple in our class and 3 of the 6 of us were consultant led, 2 going for ELCS. I felt the course covered all our situations really well. The single mum was invited to bring her birth partner (her mum) but chose not to. The leader was very clear about the fact that birth plans don't always go to plan, and we did a lot of preparing for emergencies etc. She also mocked up a theatre environment for the 2 going for ELCS to prepare them for how many people would be in the room, where everyone might be standing etc. The two who had CS said it helped them feel calm. I found the pain management information helpful and again learned more about my options. It certainly wasn't all about hypnobirthing unassisted in a field.
Our class was also in the middle of a city, on late in the evening as we all worked long hours and wasn't particularly expensive compared to e.g. local hypnobirthing classes, so perhaps it attracted a different demographic to the classes others on this thread described.
We are all still friendly over 2 years later and certainly supported each other a lot in the early days. I felt more comfortable talking about the difficult stuff with relative strangers than my friends who already had babies, as they were more inclined to just tell me what to do vs the NCT people who were going through it alongside me.

There are no nct classes in my area and when I was looking all the classes in my county were in the extremely well off naice areas... told me all I needed to know really. If you want ready made middle class friends it'll be fine I guess.

I went to my local sure start (pre covid obviously) that had a variety of classes and groups.

I think nct is something that, if you can afford to take the gamble, is very valuable for some women.

All the information is readily available for free elsewhere, so you are paying for a group of ready-made friends. Alas, my group cordially disliked one another, and I think we met only twice after the babies were born, so it was a complete waste of money.

Also, I met far nicer people at NCT coffee mornings, which were free and open to non-members.

Hit and miss. Lots of people rave about it, but I found our tutor pretty useless and the group didn’t gel, unfortunately. I think we were unlucky in that people were very spread out (for London) and also there was about four months between the oldest and youngest babies so we never had that experience of all being in the trenches together.

I haven't tried the NCT classes but I did register for the Maggie Howell Natal Hypotherapy course which had a discounted price due to covid (best.hypnobirthingclass.online/courses/hypnobirthing). I've found it useful as it's science based rather than being too airy fairy which really suits me. Hoping it will help with the birth as not sure partners will be allowed to be present for initial stages (depending on which tier system you are in) so ideally wanted some ways to manage my own stress.

My partner and I did it and I feel quite mixed - the content was ok but very little I didn't already know from reading (this is my first pregnancy and I think I've read 2 books, maybe didn't even finish the 2nd, so definitely not like I've done loads myself) but I found it good for getting my partner involved and prompting discussions as he has done basically no reading himself. Ours was on zoom and we managed to meet once before lockdown which was nice but I think it's definitely harder to gel / get the 'ready made friends' thing with the way things are now unfortunately. But also we don't have the alternatives that other people used to - I didn't even think any SureStart centres still existed but they're certainly not running classes atm, same with pregnancy yoga etc (although hopefully those can start up again). I'm quite anxious and found it definitely triggered that - our whatsapp group felt to me just like lists of the expensive things everyone was buying (£1000 prams casually being mentioned); they were all perfectly nice but I struggle with comparison at the best of times so nearly gave up after the first few sessions because of that but persevered. Our babies are arriving December onwards so hoping the support element comes into play then but it is luck of the draw whether they're people you bond with I guess. I've had other friends do it and love it. Our course leader was pretty judgey we found but not particularly in a natural birth way; we had a dedicated session on C sections and the session on pain relief I actually came away thinking 'why does everyone seem to automatically hate epidurals, it's the only one where your brain stays fully switched on!' so that element definitely wasn't delivered in a biased way. What we missed was prep for when baby is actually here - only one session on that which felt quite superficial/short while the rest was all on birth. I found the breastfeeding session good and the lady delivering it also did go to pains to emphasise formula is also a valid and healthy choice, although there wasn't any info on making bottles etc. I definitely wouldn't do it the next time I'm pregnant and would hope I could get friends from baby groups etc, but I think it's probably worth the punt as a FTM.

Just don't let your 'paid for' friends get in the way of forming more natural friendships. I made a great deal of effort with my nct friends, sometimes to the detriment of other blossoming friendships, and regret it now that our kids are a little older.

Also, they were quite an old fashioned, sexist bunch, where the mums parented and the dads got drunk and did drugs together.. but that's luck of the draw.

The information wasn’t that useful but we had just moved to our area and it was a great way to meet people with children of the same age. We meet up often, with and without kids. We still have a whatsapp group and joint birthday parties. Personally, it helped me massively to have a group of women around me, as we have no family around. My husband has also made great friends along the way.