Second pregnancy and considering local antenatal classes with first-time parents

[Itsmyaccount]

I’m expecting my second baby but since my first have moved areas so my old antenatal crowd are too far a drive away.
I really benefitted from the friendships built from doing antenatal for my first pregnancy and was so glad to have people to see during mat leave.
I want to do antenatal again but am quite conscious I don’t want to ruin the experience for the others who are first time parents as I have a toddler to consider as well. I’ve booked bump and baby as the classes are a 5 minute walk away and I’ve heard amazing things about the company but am second guessing if I should have signed up to classes dedicated to non-first time parents. The issue is these are all held 20-30 minutes from me and I really wanted to make friends with people as locally as possible which is why I went bump and baby.

If anyone has any thoughts on experiences on this of their own I’d really appreciate it.

As a first time Mum I would be very happy to have non first timers in our antenatal class, unfortunately my trust only does virtual antenatel classes, so we won't get the experience of meeting people. No private ones either.

With my second I did a pregnancy yoga class but part way through, the lockdown was announced so we ended up online and acting more like an antenatal group with a bit of yoga thrown in. We were a mix of first and second time mums and it was lovely! We stuck together through mat leave and beyond, a few are still very close now (I'm not but not for any bad reason - just life, I still chat to them all if I bump into them). There was never any issue around first/second timers at all - it was lovely.

I don't think you'd be ruining the experience! Are you bringing the toddler, is that what you mean? I mean that's trickier, I brought my baby to a baby first aid class and was the only one there with a DC present. I was walking round the back of the class with him while he blew raspberries!

Do it if you want to though! I didn't get much out of antenatal classes the first time round, I did loads of online ones tbf and one in person workshop where no one swapped numbers. Personally I found local baby groups way better for making mum friends nearby, and they always had a mix of first time mums and mums of more than one.

I did NCT twice, partly because we missed most of the first course due to me being ill, partly because my first group wasn't great and I was hoping for a better experience. It was absolutely fine.

There were a couple of mums on the classes I did. They were absolutely great and very welcomed in the group.

When the babies all arrived it was great to be able to meet with someone who actually knew what they were doing.

Join up.

I did NCT when I was pregnant the first time and although I didn't get that much from the class it definitely gave me some friends to hang out with during my maternity leave.

I'm pregnant with my second and won't be doing it again. That's because I've already got a life with my DS, places we go and people we see. None of them are from NCT as hes nearly 4 now but I figure between doing normal things with my DS (softplay, play cafes etc) and visiting friends and family (with and without their own little ones) that i already know enough people to not be too lonely. Also, I don't fancy baby sensory and things that I did the first time around, i plan on doing my usual things but with a baby again. There's nothing wrong with doing NCT again but do you already have enough company and will you fancy doing all the same classes and things again or did you want to do it differently this time?

Are you absolutely sure you want to get mixed up in that first time Mum madness again? Looking back the group of women I met, me included, were sooooo precious and ridiculous I'd have had absolutely no time for that again. I'd rather meet people through baby activities etc after the birth I think.

I genuinely considered doing NCT a second time.

First time around, my local group was already fully booked when I tried to book. So my first group was an additional session put on due to over demand so we came from all over the surrounding area. It had already all but fizzled out two years later, and I was hoping to get a more local experience. Unfortunately it was all still online thanks to COVID so I didn't bother in the end. If it had been in person I would have 100% done it a second time.

I wouldn’t think anything of a second time mum deciding to do NCT antenatal classes but I agree with pregnancy yoga, I go weekly and see other 2nd, 3rd etc time mums and made friends that way as I’m due my second soon

Thank you all so much for the replies! They’re so useful and reassuring to hear.
@ThatMintMember so because we’ve moved to a new area I’m still really learning the places to go and don’t really have an established setup/routine. It’s very much me and my DD entertaining ourselves on my non-working days and can sometimes be lonely.
@Twoweeksinaugust it’s a great question and I think partly why I was worried I might ruin others experience as you’re right the first time around is unique and I know this time around I’ll be more chilled out.

I think based on these replies I’m feeling more reassured about choosing to do antenatal again but will also pursue other ways of meeting mums. I just started pregnancy yoga which I didn’t do first time around and really didn’t do all that many classes so will make an effort to do that differently and really try and build a lovely local network through all the routes available.

Thank you so much all!