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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

NHS or NCT ante-natal classes?

35 replies

NoTeaForMe · 19/04/2010 13:08

Hi,

I am probably looking into this a bit too early really! My midwife told me I should sign up for classes after my 20 week scan, which is booked for 26th May! I presume she would have been talking about NHS classes? (Are these free?) I have looked at NCT classes (which I had no idea existed until someone on here mentioned them!!) By me they cost £150.
What is the difference between the two? Which would you all recommend? Should I be waiting for my 20 week scan to book them in?

Thanks in advance for your help!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

nessmay · 19/04/2010 13:14

I think it depends on the area you live in, so my advice would be to ask around. I was put off the NHS classes in my area by friends/colleagues so have booked NCT classes. Although there's no reason why you can't do both! It turns out the NHS ones would have been when my husband is away for work (although I know I could have gone on my own), so I'm glad I booked NCT. They are expensive but I'm using the money from the healthy in pregnancy grant (which you can get at 25 weeks) to pay for them.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 19/04/2010 13:19

"Healthy in Pregnancy Grant" whats that? Does everyone get that? Gosh there really is such a lot I don't know! Aaaaarghhhhhh!

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 19/04/2010 13:19

You need to book NCT classes as early as possible, as they tend to get booked up. I found them invaluable and very balanced, whereas the one NHS one I went to was rubbish, crowded and not even very informative. Both seem to vary hugely by area judging by old threads on here, is there anyone you know locally you could ask?

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 19/04/2010 13:22

I don't know anyone locally who has had a baby or is pregnant! I am the first one of our group of friends to have a baby and it is my first baby!! Whichever way is best I partly want to do them so I can meet people in the same boat!

OP posts:

JosephineClaire · 19/04/2010 13:26

I'm going to do both I think - I don't know what our local area is like for classes either, so decided to just go for it. I booked when I was just 6 weeks pregnant as I had been told by a few people that they fill the classes really quickly.

We paid £163, but that included a £39 annual membership

BexJ78 · 19/04/2010 13:30

I did both. NCT classes were great and both DH and I made lots of friends. NHS ones were bit of a let down as only two of us turned up and we were both from our NCT class!!! NHS ones are good though for perhaps getting to look round hospital etc. For NCT ones I would book ASAP as they get full really quickly.
In terms of the grant, your midwife should give you the forms to send off when you are about 24/26 weeks if i recall correctly?

Good luck!

BertieBotts · 19/04/2010 13:36

I think that NCT ones are better for meeting people because they tend to be a longer course. I still see my NCT friends once a week and our babies are 18 months old now. We also meet up with the mums who are back at work, every couple of months, for a girly night out. And then a few times a year we have a big barbeque/Christmas party/Birthday party and the Dads come too.

HavingAnOffDAy · 19/04/2010 13:37

I left it too late to book NCT sessions so just had the NHS ones run at our local hospital.

I found them useful(ish) as I was able to get info on what to take into hospital (not the standard hospital bag stuff but things such as formula etc in case I couldn't bf) and was also given a tour of the labour & post natal wards so things were a bit more familiar when I was admitted.

I joined our local Bumps & Babes group through the NCT though & made some really good friends so even if you decide against the NCT classes I'd recommend seeing what else your local branch has to offer.

Whereabouts are you?

BertieBotts · 19/04/2010 13:38

Oh and also, you don't have to actually join the NCT to go on the course. So don't get sucked into paying the membership fee as well as the course fee, unless you particularly want to be a member.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 19/04/2010 13:48

I'm in Chelmsford, does anyone have any knowledge about here in particular?

What are the benefits of joining the NCT as opposed to just going on their course?

How much do you get in the "Healthy Pregnancy Grant" ?

OP posts:

fotheringhay · 19/04/2010 13:56

Congratulations, I'll try a link:

did it work?

fotheringhay · 19/04/2010 13:57

Yes it did!

MrsC2010 · 19/04/2010 14:58

I'm doing both. I was advised to book the NHS ones ASAP as they get really booked up here, so I booked them when I was around 14 wks.

nessmay · 19/04/2010 16:51

NoTeaForMe make sure you ask your midwife for the health in pregnancy grant form once you are 25 weeks (you can't get it before then). I think it's about £190 (waiting for mine to come through). She'll sign the form and then you fill in the rest and send it off. It's not means tested and everyone is entitled to it, so make the most of it! I didn't need to ask my midwife for it, but some people have said that they've had to ask for it.

I mentioned to my midwife that although I was doing NCT classes I would be interested in having a tour of the labour wards etc. She said since the Swine flu outbreak they stopped showing people round and haven't started this up again. I guess each hospital is different and as I'm consultant led she did say I could just ask to be shown around at my next hospital appointment.

Original poster

NoTeaForMe · 19/04/2010 16:59

Thanks for all your help regarding the grant. I will definitely remember to ask about the form at 25 weeks!

I know my NHS are no longer doing tours of the labour wards either. However my midwife did say that my last ante-natal appointment could be held at the place I choose to give birth so I will have at the least been inside! I guess I will be doing the NHS classes regardless, its just whether we do the NCT classes too, and what benefit that would be to us!

OP posts:

beanlet · 19/04/2010 18:28

We were quoted £200 for the NCT classes , which was much more than was quoted on the website, so we decided not to take them up. We're starting the NHS ones this week -- I'll let you know how they go and report back!

LoveBeingAMummy · 19/04/2010 18:34

Just to add to your choices, I atteded two sets of NHS classes, one by the hospital (more pratical) and the mw ones.

MrsC2010 · 19/04/2010 19:54

Don't forget to look into subsidies for NCT if you have a household income of £25k or less. And you don't have to take up membership, that's about £36 odd. They automatically add it so you can just knock it off.

amidaiwish · 19/04/2010 20:01

i did both with DD1 and think they are both quite different

NCT ones- much more discussional and made some great friends (still in touch even though all have moved away)

NHS - useful in a practical kind of way. about the hospital, what happens, what to do etc. didn't make any friends though.

if you can only do one, do NCT. NHS ones are free though and i was glad i did both. I didn't do NCT again with DD2 (didn't do any as only 18 months later) but wish i had done NCT for the social aspect of it having local friends with children at EXACTLY the same stage is v useful.

wizbitwaffle · 19/04/2010 20:05

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

LadyCressida · 19/04/2010 22:54

We're doing both and so far glad of it. The NHS ones are more about 'the facts' and are a bit too blunt at times but we've still picked up useful info esp about the local hospital etc that you can't get from reading books.

The NCT ones seem to be much more chilled out and relaxed and hopefully as much about meeting other people in the same boat, which is really important to me because everyone else I know is going to be at work! They are expensive but like other people I used the HIP grant to pay for them.

RunningGuerita · 20/04/2010 06:45

Anyone else in London been quoted £300 for the NCT Class? (£337 with the membership) I nearly fell off my chair yesterday when I opened the NCT correspondance. We're not on low income but I still find that an outrageous amount of money at a time when money is starting to get tight getting ready for a first baby.

TheBossofMe · 20/04/2010 06:55

If you can afford it do NCT - the people I met on there are now some of my closest friends, and its so helpful to have people in the same situation as you to talk to.

There is a difference I find between the weekend courses and the evening ones that run over several weeks - the latter are more likely to be where you make friends due to time spent together.

Also see if your local HV runs post-natal groups - again, I met loads of good friends there.

Pidgin · 20/04/2010 06:57

We're in the same boat RunningGuerita - our local classes are £307 including membership. I am keen to do them as we don't know many people locally but I do think it's a lot of money to ask for, especially for what is basically a four-session course (although one session is 9-3), and a postnatal meet-up. Do you think you'll sign up anyway?

amidaiwish · 20/04/2010 11:10

£337! that is outrageous... when i did them in SWLondon a few years back it was more like £160.

me thinks the NCT are starting to take the piss, the actual classes are not that great, but the format and people you meet are.

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