NHS or NCT ante-natal classes?

[NoTeaForMe]

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!

We can afford it too, but TBH I was so peed off at the price (and I'm even more at £300) that we decided not to bother.

we decided against NCT classes for various reasons including cost and the fact that our NCT districts cover such vast areas that there's a good chance the eight couples on the course would all live over an hour's drive from each other! I am about to move further into the sticks but have identified a local NCT group which meets weekly. I'll join this for the social aspect of it all. I think the classes would be great for meeting people if we were in an urban area.

Meanwhile, I am starting NHS classes next week. Ours have a decent reputation.

I did both and am really glad (I booked NCT at 14 weeks and got the last place btw, they are really oversubscribed round here!)

NCT - held over 6 weeks, with 7 other couples, we meet up really regularly and it has been a massive support going on the "journey" together! Classes were really helpful, covered loads of different aspects of birth and baby care, and DH enjoyed it too - I really looked forward to the discussion which always followed a class as opposed to begging him to read some book or magazine! There was a coffee break each session which helped us all get to know each other, and our teacher had a "library" of leaflets and books we could borrow.

NHS - 3 sessions with a lot of other people, with no time built-in to meet/chat. I have met some of these people at other things since and it's been a good starting point to chat but has taken longer to make friends. Information was useful wrt local procedures, who to ring when and where to go when in labour etc, was also good to meet different mws taking the sessions as some of them came to the house after dd was born. Really handy to have a look round the hospital. In general, if they had been our only preparation I would have found making informed choices harder as there was little chance to ask questions/discuss issues.

I think it massively depends on your local provision, we only paid £130 for NCT and don't think we could have stretched to anything more. I have friends who only went to NHS classes that seemed really well thought through and have got on fine. I am no help really........

Depends what you want from the classes. NHS ones tend to be a bit curtailed, depending on where you are and how well-staffed they are (our local ones are taught by local midwives but they have had to cut them to half a day at the weekend and the local large hospital no longer does ward tours). Depends - can you ask any local friends who've done them, what they're like?

NCT ones take their time (some would say, too much time!) and that does give you time to get to know one another. If you were hoping to make friends who'd have babies at the same time, I'd always go for NCT if you can afford it. I am still in touch with all my antenatal group over 2 years on, and we've supported one another through a lot. Two and a bit years ago, I think I paid around £150 which included membership. Membership isn't necessary to attend Bumps and Babies groups later on, but if you're a member, you get early entry into the cult Nearly New Sales (handy if there's one a bit before you give birth!), and a magazine that you may or may not actually bother reading. Seriously, it's a great charity and does a lot to advocate and lobby for parents' rights.

Hi pidgin. Yes I think we will do an NCT course, but I am going to look for a slightly shorter one that isn't quite as expensive. My Dh is really keen that we do and tells me not to worry about the expense and as another poster said, it will an easier format for him to learn. He is also keen that I make friends but we're probably going to move anyway!

My NCT course is over 2 full days, a weekend and a weekday. Not ideal in many respects, but the only dates that fitted with my due date. In some ways shorter sessions are good, but they can be an inconvenience so I'm sure it'll be fine. Just had the confirmation letter through (I paid in installments so just finished paying) and it talks about bringing something 'yummy' to share with the class...eeeek!

I really hope we don't have to role paly or act out.

Just went to the first of three NHS classes with the midwives -- it was absolutely excellent. Informal, hands-on, practical, and got lots of time to chat to the other parents-to-be too. Definitely glad I picked this option!

I went to NHS classes which were held by local mw and it was fab, they were very informal and the mid-wife that led the course was one of the group that would've been on call for my home-birth had it happened!
I'm amused by the comments about meeting people in the same boat at NCT classes, surely the people at NHS classes are all pregnant local women?!

I made 2 great friends at my class who I still see every week two years on.

They were mothership, and I have seen them around at things at the sure start centre and other baby activities and we have got talking again, but at NHS classes there was no opportunity to chat, arrange to meet up or swap numbers etc. There were three sessions, held in a different place at a different time each week, with no consistency in who turned up. I guess also, a lot of the people there were there purely for the info and had plenty of local friends/knowledge already.

With NCT, there was a coffee time every week for 6 weeks or something and a meet up organised and things took off from there. For me, someone who has not lived in the area for much time at all and with no local family/history, it was invaluable. Most of the other couples were in the same boat and also keen to build up a social side to it.

Thankyou for all your help! I think we have decided to go for both options, and hope that works well for us. I have a few friends in the area but none with children or pregnant!

I have found the booking details on the NCT website for that but how do I go about booking the NHS ones? I am now 16 weeks, my midwife told me not to book anything til after my 20 weeks scan but I saw a different midwife today and she said I should book now as they get booked up! I hope I haven't missed out!!