NCT or Bump and Baby Club

[Buttercup2023]

Hi all, my husband and I want to sign up to an antenatal class and unsure of which one to go for. NCT and Bump and Baby Club seem to be the 2 main groups in my area... just wanting some up-to-date feedback as most of the threads I have read seem to be during covid. Main thing is to hopefully make some mum/dad friends. Was there anything you didn't like about them? Would you recommend either? Thank you!

We ultimately chose B+B because we liked the fact it was run by a midwife. She was great! We also liked that it included a first aid session (run by someone else) and an online Hypnobirthing course. It also included a social afternoon at a local pub.

B+B set up a whatsapp group with all the parents in it, as well as the midwife whilst the course was running so we could ask any questions/she could share links/resources.

The first baby of the group has just been born and it's been lovely to use the group for communication. I'm sure once more people are on maternity leave/have had babies then meet ups will happen!

When discussing differences with friends who did NCT instead, the main thing seemed to be that more emphasis was placed on vaginal births and breastfeeding in NCT. Although we did have about half of our group who are having planned C-Sections so that may be why we covered that in more detail? Also the midwife was very flexible in terms of what she discussed each session so that was helpful in terms of everyone's questions being answered.

I went into it with the main goal being to form a friendship group and figured I could read/watch/learn stuff myself if I didn't enjoy/get enough out of the course.

Hope that helps! I would recommend booking ASAP as they fill up quickly!

@hungrycat101 thank you for replying, I am swaying more towards bump and baby, but it seems like everyone I speak to has done NCT!
How many couples were in your group? X

We did B&B as well and made likeminded friends. the main reason we chose it was because people had said the NCT in our area was quite anti interventions and pain relief and glossed over them but we wanted to be more informed. To be honest our course leader was still slightly scaremongering about interventions despite being a midwife but at least she went through them! A few of us ended up with unplanned c sections and I felt that I understood why there were so many people in theatre and what roles they did because of the session on interventions.

There were 10 couples in the class and 7 of us all still meet up regularly many months on!

The other pro of B&B is that first aid is included which is extra for NCT. It was really reassuring when weaning to have done a class on what to do if they choke etc.

Couldn't disagree more about the anti-intervention of NCT. My NCT course was the exact opposite, they were very pro-intervention and drugs without giving a two-sided argument against it - it was actually my negative feedback to the company at the end of it.

If bump and baby use current midwives I would go with that course. I had an out of touch "older" women deliver my NCT course who managed to offend a few couples due to their cultural beliefs and she was very biased with her teaching.

I’ve just booked bump and baby.
Had a friend who did B&B and said the course was amazing.
She said NCT is a bit outdated these days and as others have mentioned really pushes vaginal birth and breast feeding (I’m going to hopefully give birth that way and hopefully breast feed but I don’t like the idea of it being pushed and seen as the only way).

B&B was amazing for my first baby. Amazing classes (including about C sections) and a good group of parents to keep in touch with. Unfortunately three years on quite a lot of them have moved, but it was invaluable when we had a newborn.

A friend did NCT, and ended up with an emergency C section. They had a meet up with the trainer after the babies arrived, and the trainer told her it was such a shame she hadn’t had a natural birth, but she could still bond with her baby if she really tried. Only slightly paraphrasing.

We done NCT and really enjoyed it and had a totally different experience to what others have said on here. Our facilitator was very unbiased and was definitely not pushing one way being best. She was not at all pro vaginal birth or breastfeeding and talked through all options and scenarios in lots of detail. I think it all depends on who your facilitator is. Ours was fab and knowledgeable and a joy to listen to. I’d recommend NCT, however may have been swayed more towards a midwife led course if that was an option, but still with anyone you could end up with someone more pro something over another, and the way they deliver the sessions may not suit you.

We were a big group of 10 (normally only 6-8 couples). All have said we are glad we done it and learnt lots. We have all met up a few times since the sessions (our babies are due Jan/Feb) and have a very useful couples WhatsApp group and also a mums only one.

All other people I have spoken to have also enjoyed NCT and not had a bad word to say.

I did Bump and Baby and loved it! The midwife was so informative and was very neutral on her opinions and didn’t push her opinions on birth preferences or how to feed your baby and just gave us all the knowledge we needed to make our own decisions. Our course leader was poorly one week so another course leader filled in, and it turned out to be a midwife who I had had an antenatal appointment with a couple of weeks prior so it was nice to see that they are still practising midwives.

I finished my course in June and we all had our babies over the summer and we meet up fairly regularly. I’m so glad I did the course and have made some lovely Mum friends 🥰

Having read the above reviews and done a course, I actually dont think any of the positive reviews are legit, i think they must have been bought. there is no ozher explanation. My and everyone on my courses experienced was definitely not positive. Dont be fooled into thinking the fun slick website will translate into an amazing course. it was just a mess. the lecturers couldnt control a workshop, time management was awful so lots of wasting time chatting and only 4 dolls between 20 people and only 5 minutes for everyone to practise nappy changing. The first aider couldnt actually do the first aid and everyone ended up googling answers to their questions. I actually felt sorry for the people running the workshop, they were out of their depth and the content was something anyone can read. dont expect to be doing any birthing positions on yoga mats because that would require organisation which this course wasnt. I wish wish wish it was better and wish we had chosen a different course. Everyone i spoke to felt the same and was disappointed with the course. Even completing their review form will result in no feedback. When one couple couldnt make the social after the course, they took away their £6 bar tab so that the rest of us couldnt use it, this course is about making money dont think its a well thought out course that will prepare you. Just nothing like the vibe the website gives off. I hope this helps people not make the same mistake.

I know its a while but which one did you do?

We did NCT and there were 8 couples in our class. 6 live in our actual town. I’d always recommend the class that means you don’t have to travel to meet up. It makes things much more easier when the babies are here.

the course content is going to be much the same. We had a really good NCT person who covered all of the types of intervention that could be expected in labour, it wasn’t just focused on vaginal delivery.