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Original poster

Is NCT worth it

12 replies

chunkychunks · 23/08/2023 18:50

Just that really.

Looking into nct classes - will cost £250 for the course.

I can afford it but £250 is a lot of money to me and I will notice it out of my account.

Was just wondering on others thoughts

Thanks in advance xx

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GoodOnPaper · 23/08/2023 19:01

It is a good way to meet other people local to you who are having a baby at the same time and can be a good support network to each other, particularly during maternity leave. (And for lots of people years afterwards).

So I'd say it depends on your reasons for wanting to sign up. If you have a good network of friends and family locally you might not feel you need it as much. You can still meet people at play groups or baby classes once the baby arrives, although they can be harder work. NCT can give you a ready-made group.

The information they share is helpful but would be easy enough to learn with so many books around, videos, online resources etc. If it was about information I'd be tempted to look at a couple of sessions with a doula or similar. (I also recommend hypnobirthing for a good approach to labour - but realise it's not for everyone)

Original poster
chunkychunks · 23/08/2023 21:37

Thank you both :) xxx

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YukoandHiro · 23/08/2023 21:37

Depends on the people you meet

Temporaryname158 · 23/08/2023 21:40

I met my best friends there! Couldn’t have don’t having a child, maternity leave etc without them! We are still great friends now. You also learn a lot too

Netaporter · 23/08/2023 21:42

Still in touch 18 years later. Great for meeting mums who’ll have kids of the same age as you. The advice in the class was somewhat lacking though and very heavily biased towards natural birth/BF so don’t use it as a source of balanced information.

Pleasenomorecheese · 23/08/2023 21:44

I don’t think I learnt anything I couldn’t have read for myself, but I got us in the mindset of “right this is real and how are we going to do it”. I really liked going and being around other people at the same point in their pregnancy. Then when the babies started arriving those women were a lifeline for me! To have a friendship group all on Mat leave and going through the exact same baby stage was brilliant. Made real friendships-we all still get together over four years later!

csiaddict · 23/08/2023 21:47

Check with your midwife. When I had my first, the health centre organised free to attend ante natal classes which were a good chance to meet other mums. They also did post natal classes which were in a way more useful as all our babies were the same age. With antenatal classes mums have babies at different times obviously so you end up having less in common.
Also depends on if you have time to do meet ups with other pregnant mums before maternity leave starts.
Also post natal classes such as toddler groups or baby massage classes are a good way to meet mums with babies the same age.

Gro · 23/08/2023 21:49

If it is too much then just go to a load of local playgroups when baby is born and find people there.

There is no guarantee you will find friends at NCT as it is such a small group of people. Often the only thing you will have in common is being pregnant.

Playgroups are a few pounds a week and if you don't like anyone then try a different one. I didn't do NCT but found two great friends at playgroup and two of our children will go to school together next year.

NatGee · 24/08/2023 00:34

I have heard great things about NCT classes, and that they are an excellent opportunity to meet friends. The only thing I resent about them is that the premise used to be free some years ago.... maternity services would organise these education classes and bring women together free of charge but now we have to search for them ourselves and pay. Thats my only criticism.

sjpkgp1 · 24/08/2023 02:06

I went to the free ones with DS1 (long time ago, and I bet they don't do them anymore) and they were OK, bit patronising, but transient (women at various stages of pregnancy) so I never met anyone again. Once he was born I went to a few NCT organised things in my local area. Completely struggled with them, the women were nice enough but a bit of a clique, and heavily into breastfeeding (I was struggling with this at the time) and I ended up feeling like a bit of a failure, but did 6 months of it, influenced by them. Found playgroups and the likes better tbh, although again, fairly transient. In my case I "got my tribe" when DS1 went to nursery, these are people you meet every day and you will end up building a relationship with them, I realise this is a long time away though. Went back to work after a few months after DS1 and had DD1 a year later so didn't have much time to consider whether I needed more. I think £250 is a lot. Good luck with whatever you decide xx

gorillalala · 24/08/2023 02:15

Yes 100% do it, those friendships I made at NCT are some of my best friendships now 4 years later. I love having my little group of friends who are always around for advice (WhatsApp chats like "has anyone else's child started doing this?!") or play dates or social stuff.

Not the whole NCT group by the way, some just chat on the group but don't do many social meets, about half I'm close to.

And even though I did meet some mums at baby groups on mat leave, it just wasn't as easy to even try to form a close friendship with them.

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