hub2dee goes to NCT - what are the classes like ? (online 'notes')

[hub2dee]

Hi all,

We had our first NCT class the day before yesterday, and our second tonight.

I thought it might be helpful to anyone who couldn't get to them / couldn't afford them / didn't fancy them (especially first time parents) to be able to scan through a rough, brief outline of what the classes covered so you could see if it might be of interest.

I'll post a VERY brief summary of each lesson over the next few weeks. Anyone can add any supporting info / comments / materials etc. Please be aware that every NCT teacher will handle their class differently, and tailor handouts / structure / contents / timing etc. to their local needs. YOUR MILEAGE MAY VARY !

I will also point out from the outset that the NCT is a charity, and that it was repeatedly mentioned in all the blurb / forms that inability to pay was not supposed to be a deterring factor to class attendance - contact them to chat about reduced rates etc.

Please feel free to post corrections etc. - my memory is lousy, my notetaking sparse and my handwriting indecipherable.

Registration:

Attendance at NCT classes is co-ordinated by regional reps. Classes often fill up much earlier than you think.

Phone up the NCT (number and info here ) to receive the contact info of your local person.

You write off with name /address / Estimated due date (EDD) etc., plus an SAE and then one day your class info turns up. Do it early !

Cost us £150 I think. (London). You don't need to be a member of the NCT to take the classes.

LESSON 1:

Nervous looking group of people assembled in the teacher's home. 8 couples. Introduction, discussion of NCT image, then straight into icebreakers.

Discussions about expectations of course, experience of pregnancy so far.

Handouts (breastfeeding, positions, pain relief, contact sheet for group, co-sleeping, the NCT).

Anatomy session with cross-sectional drawings showing guts etc. being displaced for growing baby at different stages, how this feels, implications (breathing, bladder etc.) Move on to gravity, the pelvis, discussion of how to keep the pelvis open (hands and knees for 10 minutes a day etc.), helpful positions for birth. Anterior, posterior, optimal fetal positioning and what you can do to give yourself the best chance of a good presentation for an easy, swift birth.

I raised the 'what can blokes do' question and we spent a while on that. Answer: advocate where necessary, bucket loads of encouragement, help partner stay calm, breathe etc.

Quite fun, pondered which, if any of the couples might become 'NCT friends' LOL.

LESSON 2:

Started with a few more minutes of icebreaking.

Overview of stages of labour.

Discussion of First Stage - covering things like show, waters breaking (fore, hind), contractions (sensation, timing, breathing through the 'wave'). When to stay at home if poss, when to go to hospital. Learnt about cord prolapse too (highly unlikely but requires urgent treatment).

Listened to some mellow music for a few minutes. Discussed impact of tension on the body. Breathing out. Practice of various positions to keep the pelvis open and manage First Stage, including massage, relaxation, breathing, using birthing balls / walls / chairs / partner etc. When do you go to hospital (contractions 45 - 60 seconds long, which have been going on regularly for about 1 hour).

Pelvic floor. What it is, why you want good tone, exercises.

Group beginning to chill out and laugh a bit more.

Hooray for my local branch! Dh and I are on a very low income and the 'hardship fund' paid for half of our classes. In fact, when I saw the fees I was shocked and didn't bother to phone back, I was so embarrassed. But the branch booking person phoned me repeatedly to get us on board! I was incredibly pleased with their desire to help us out, and although the classes ended up being mostly useless (I was induced, so all that positions and breathing stuff went out the window), the friedns I've made from the group made it worthwhile.

LESSON 3:

Group is starting to become a bit warmer and more animated. Started with a discussion on names (our own, what they meant, what we felt about them) and by extension the viability of 'Fifi Trixibelle' etc.

Moved on to an exercise aimed to raise awareness of the possibility of having a baby with some kind of health problem. This was done by brainstorming attributes we might like for our baby (health, happiness, independence, good looks etc. etc. etc.), attributes we might need to be good parents (fond of sleep deprivation, endlessly patient, deaf etc. etc.), and then consider any differences / extra qualities we might need to consider (in the baby and in us) about having a baby with special needs...

... All a bit grim but useful and thought provoking. Read through the Holland / Italy poem about SN, and discussed the perception of unruly / odd behaviour people tend to 'tut' about when they perhaps don't see the whole story, IYSWIM.

Then spent a while on breathing through pain by using breath to alleviate the pull of muscle strain. Hmmm... any chance dw's
contractions would feel this mild ????

Finally, the group was divided up so two couples will prepare a presentation on various pain relief methods (epi, TENS, pethidine etc.).... I jumped for TENS as I've already read a bit about it (and there are loads of MN threads on it) and I figure it would be the easiest to present (plus the teacher has a machine to play with).

Lazy bugger, eh.

We're meeting up with our 'presentation buddies' tomorrow. See ! We've already made new friends !

BHell You really have to give a proper presentation??

Well... only semi proper, Xena

No one's done 'PowerPoint Styley' before, but I'm sure it'll all work out nicely with just a few grumbles and some helpful snippets of information...

"TENS. It might work for you. It might not be enough. Perhaps you should consider hiring one just in case ?"

There you go, my perfect 30 second presentation.

PS - I have a server named after you.

Why thank you I am honored a server named after little old me.

Please you must take power point that would be so funny ROFL. I thought it was made up how serious NCT was!!

Tens really didn't work for me

Didn't work for me, either; I got frustrated and annoyed with it and tore it off in a paddy.

Strangely enough, our NCT instructor's pain relieving method of getting your dh to put his hand in an arch on your head, crack it like an egg with his other hand and then run his fingers down your hair (like an egg running down) didn't do much to relieve the pain of contractions, either.

These NCT folk are a bit strange sometimes

WWB I was remembering my paddy as I wrote my post

Ah - not just me, then ...

Morningpaper wrote:

'Hmm if I was running an NCT class it would go like this:

• Women kneel in front of men (calm down boys).
• Men slap testicles on a stool and women place clamp around testicles.
• Women slowly tighten clamp until men go cross-eyed. Keep tight for 60 seconds. Say "Well done darling, you're doing really well." Rub his back.
• Release clamp. Wait 2 minutes. Repeat endlessly for 24 hours. Tell him to breathe through it.

Increase the tightness of the clamp over this time. Don't forget to suggest positions that might make it more 'comfortable.' When he starts begging, light a candle and suggest that he focus on this and breathe. If at any point he suggests that he wants to die, remind him that it's 'only pain' and 'nothing he can't handle'.

Charge £140'

That has got to be the funniest and most brilliant thing I've read in a long long time. You genius ! I laughed so hard I peed my pants (easy when you are heavily pregnant but still).

You Rock !!!

LESSON 4:

Nice to see all the crowd again. Our group meets twice per week, 2 hours each class, which IMHO is too frequent. I think once per week would be better. It's kind of a bit knackering twice a week like this (8 - 10).

Began by a very quick 'how's your week been' which we hogged (dw has just got raised BP, been kept in overnight etc. so we were pretty worried) and moved onto the presentations on options for pain relief we had been asked to prepare last time...

Kicked off with Entonox / Gas & Air, moved onto Pethidine / Meptid, flirted with TENS, spent a while on epidural.

The class was able to express personal opinions and the teacher facilitated discussion, without aggressively pushing a 'natural birth' philosphy at all. The pros and cons of all options were given a fair airing. We were provided with further insights / details into each option by her comments based on experience of 8 kids and loads of grandkids !

Went over the two types of breathing again for contractions (to crest of wave, at top), and also covered a 'blowing out candle' breathing pattern and position (hands and knees, bum in air, head low) to use when told 'don't push now'.

Discussed this transition phase in more detail.

That was basically it I think for that class. Was all nice and chatty. It is interesting to see how a class dymanic for, epidural or not, develops.... it'll be fun to meet up with all our babies and learn about everyone's birth experiences...

Re hands and knees position... friends were at similar stages of NCT classes and were told to practice. As DW got on hands and knees DH announced, "And this is why we are in this mess."

LOL !!!!

LESSON 5:

(These notes are being written up a few weeks late. )

This week we covered 'transition' and the second and third stages of labour... Signs to watch for, possible examinations (and positions), more positions for this stage, use of birthing stools etc. fighting the urge to push etc.

Breathing for the push. Second Stage, crowning, delivery of the baby, checks on baby, meconium etc, cutting the chord.

Information on episiotomies, cuts, stitches, preventing tearing, subsequent healing.

Delivery of the placentra (natural / medicated), post partum haemorrhage, bleeding in the weeks after the birth etc.

LESSON 6:

Breastfeeding - began by looking at large photos of breastfeeding in different situations and different cultures and explored individual's reactions, also discussed benefits to mother and baby. Class also discussed use / benefits of bottlefeeding. Chatted about feeding on demand vs. timetable, how long for the feed, how long between feeds, will it hurt etc. etc.

The class was generally very pro breast feeding, but there were a few 'WTFs ???' at co-sleeping. Lively, fun discussion. The teacher did a great job of facilitating the discussion, allowing all views to be heard.

Touched briefly on co-sleeping.

Watched a bf video from Austaaaaaalia. Useful.

Discussed bf immediately following birth and in hospital. Diagrams and handouts on correct positioning, moving baby to chest, latching, end of feed / breaking the vacuum etc. etc.

Everyone in the class is much more relaxed and having fun now.

Sounds as though you are having a good time and getting lots of good info too

And no, assignment is not done

Still got Lesson 7 to do....

I'm lazy. What's your excuse, mears ?

What happened about the rest of the course?

Woops... erm... I can't remember what happened in Lesson 7 (or even if we went, LOL)... our baby was born at 36 weeks on the 6th July.

lol