NCT vs Hypnobirthing classes?

[Anglepoise]

I signed up for NCT antenatal classes rather late and they're now full, though we're on a waiting list. I've just been having a look at Hynobirthing classes - are they a similar kind of thing/replacement? I can only afford to do one, so which should I do? Any advice gratefully received

It's quite late now but try contacting the hospital where you'll be and see if they provide any courses, through NCT or otherwise, themselves.

Might also be worth seeing if you can get onto an NCT postnatal or another new parents' course up there, if you can't get an antenatal course.

Thanks again for all the replies. I think I'm going to stop wavering and just book the bloody thing - I think I'd rather do it and not use it than get halfway through labour and wish I had!

It is getting late but we're due to move in three weeks so I'm not booked in anywhere yet, which is why I'm getting slightly panicky ... Eep.

Anyway, thank you for listening to my wittering!

I think the hypnobirthing course was amazing, not sure you can do it from the book/CD alone, well worth the money and surprised to hear someone say it taught nothing about labour and after the birth, mine did! Natal hypnotherapy is slightly different, maybe they meant that? Book it, it'll be the most useful £300 you've ever spent (they'll do a discount if you can't manage it)

Sounds as though you're not going to be too far from Northwich. Why don't you try contacting a few places now, before you move, to check out availability of course spaces and costs? I believe that there is a hypnobirthing practitioner in Warrington. There's a holistic birthing centre in Northwich which covers a wide catchment area and they may have something useful to tell you about homebirths. The Northwich & District NCT antenatal booking clerk is a very helpful lady. All may be a bit cheaper than London?

Definitely worth getting DH involved in some sort of class - I was similarly worried that mine would be a bit lost if unprepared and he did learn a tremendous amount from the NCT class we did. Also helped that there were other men there, unlike the NHS classes I did which were all women because of being held during daytime (albeit men were welcome to attend but I think the odd one that did felt very self-conscious!)

I've just ordered the hypno book & CD myself as can't really afford to do the course and also don't want to spend time going over stuff about birth that I already know. Also, as mentioned elsewhere, don't think that hypno stuff really covers "what if things go pear-shaped" scenarios in same way that other antenatal classes would and as first-timer I think you ought to be realistically aware of all possibilities so that you can make informed choices during labour & birth where necessary.

I know this is an old thread but was doing some research online and just wanted to say that it very much depends on the hypnobirthing course you do. I attended a hypnobirthing course with BirthSense which was a complete birth preparation course. It was amazing. They covered what to expect, my childbirth rights, birth preferences, what to expect after birth, physiology of birth and pregnancy, how your birth partner can support you (and be empowered too) AND hypnobirthing. We did some hypnobirthing practice in class and techniques but most of this was done at home. The classes focused on discussions, practicals and information/ choices. It was really amazing.