First NCT class (zoom) and nervous!

[BookishEm]

I have my first NCT class tonight through zoom because of covid restrictions and I’m starting to feel really nervous. I’m not sure what to expect and, like a lot of people, my husband and I signed up to try meet some friends that will have babies. I’m 26 and he’s 29 and none of our close friends have babies yet. I don’t feel too young to become a mum, in fact we planned our pregnancy! But a couple of people made comments about my age and today I kept hearing those voices in my head a bit worried that the other mums to be might not see me as a peer as such? I don’t know I think I’m just a bit nervous because it’s not a “normal” thing to do to sit on a video call trying to make friends with people you’ve never met! What kind of experiences have people on here had with their NCT groups, especially, the ones you have had to this online in recent times!

Just try not to worry. Lots of people told me NCT would be amazing for social networking and I would get all my close mum friends from there. I didn’t. We all got on fine and we’re all still sporadically in touch, but I didn’t make any close friends. I did find the information about birth and baby care really helpful, though, so it was worthwhile just for that. And the age gap between the mums in our group was 20 years! It made no difference as far as I could see, we were all still first-time parents.

Also, the online format is bound to make it a bit harder to bond, but it’s still possible. I didn’t do NCT online, but am doing a career development course on Zoom and have found that there are still people I connect with and people I don’t... so just like real life, really.

@NoNarniaBecauseLipstick thanks! I hadn’t been too worried until today! Can you remember what your first session was about?

I'm also 26 and pregnant with my second, would like to do NCT this time around just to talk to some more people! Bit weird to do on zoom but that's life atm.

I used to go to a buggy walking group and a lot of the mums were about 5-10 years older, but weird but oh well. You get some people that don't notice I guess and then others who will look down their noses a bit, fuck em and carry on them then feel smug when your the one who has the answers or useful advice

Maybe best to ask for this to be moved to the Becoming a Parent board.

I hate crashed an established nct group when dd1 was 6 months. Best thing I ever did we are very close still and dd1 is 11!!
We did various baby classes together over the years. Some of the babies ended up in nursery together. Some parents moved theirs to our lovely Montessori because the kids got on so well. They were mostly split at primary but dd1 and some of the nct babies will be back together in secondary as they did 11+ together.
Those mums I met in 2010 saved my sanity and rescued me when I split from exh. It's been amazing

Gate!!!!

I didn’t enjoy my NCT classes and the course leader was poor. My hospital antenatal group however was amazing. I’m in touch with the ladies I met through that every single day (and most nights ). They’ve been a life line through these past few months.

Age wise, you’d be the youngest in our group but age hasn’t had much of an impact on the friendships formed within our group. I hope that will be the case for you too.