Which antenatal class?

[TrufflePig1]

Hi all,

We’re due 22nd Sept and are looking to book some antenatal classes. Our top priority is meeting local people with baby’s due similar dates to us.

This is our first baby and we moved to our town about 2 years ago so know no one else with babies! We’d love any feedback you have on what worked for you.

Our options are

NCT
Pros - well established, might be smaller group
Cons - held in a village near our town (people may not be local?), heard it can be “old fashioned”

Bump and Baby
Pros - held in our town, heard good things
Cons - not held at a good date for our due date (course is for babies due early Aug to early Sept and we are mid/late Sept, next course is too late)

Happy Parent Happy Baby
Pros - held in our town, convenient dates,
Cons - less well known

I’m just doing the ones that the hospital offers and then the baby academy zoom ones

We just completed NCT classes, the teacher was lovely and met a very friendly bunch of people all due within 2 weeks of each other so really felt we were all at the same point in our journey. For us it was well worth the money and time. Also may have been our teacher but it didn't feel old fashioned for us

I’d prioritise location so you meet people who live near you. We’re doing NCT for that reason alone as none of the others operate in our town. I’ve heard positive things but to be honest it’s mostly to meet people

I did ones run by a local midwife when I was pregnant with my first. Like you my main reason for doing it was meeting local people in a similar station. NCT was further away (and fully booked by the time were booking) so that put me off a bit.

I don't really think being a less known brand is an issue, in fact it as a positive for ours. The midwife who ran it actually worked at the local hospital so could provide specific information for most of us there about the hospital and stuff.

In the end it turned out that the majority of the people on my course weren't very local. The class was about 1-2 miles away from where I live but people had travelled from all over the city, so there's no real guarantee that people will be nearby. We do all keep in touch and met up regularly during mat leave and stuff so was still worth it. Most of us are now having a second/just had a second within about 9 months of each other so I expect we'll continue to meet up during this mat leave too.