nhs ante natal classes versus nct classes?

inkie

Check out what is specifically offered in your area - it will be up to the Midwives in the area to determine what is delivered when and for what 'target group'. I used to teach them (i'm a MW) and we had specific ones for couples, younger m2b's, and then just mums. You will find that the majority (apart from the couple's ones will be delivered during the day) What is good is the tour of the unit where you should be shown round all the ante-natal, labour and post-natal wards (I always used to combine this with a 'bath demo', which went down well).

peachyprice

I did the NHS ones with my twins, I did a trial meeting with the NCT ladies, but they were all too earth mother for me. I had to go back to them to arrange electric breast pump hire, they weren't at all impressed that I was mix feeding my 7 week premmie twins.

I didn't bother when I had my DD.

andrealm

gratefulforhelp wrote: »

If you were a single parent, especially a teenage one, then you would have found the nhs antenatal classes I attended very offputting.
The health visitor running it insisted on referring to "your husband" frequently, which may be the ideal, but clearly wasn't the reality as we had several teenage mums in our class.

I would have gone to NCT but there was such demand you basically had to sign up before you were pregnant!!

That's a bit daft, as about half of births are now to unmarried couples or single mums.

sarcycyril

Thanks for all the responses. I think I do need to find out from maybe someone who has been to my local nhs classes. Just made an interesting discovery though, the initial area I enquired about for the nct classes is let's say a posher area, was quoted 247 for course. I have just asked about a different area, exactly the same course and have been told 147!

I can't believe the price difference!

andrealm

You,ve got nothing to lose by putting your name down for the NHS ones. They do seem to vary from area to area and how good they are depends on the midwives and hvs that are running them.

Nhs ones can be useful for giving you info specific to your hospital, what their procedures are, what pain relief they supply etc and you may be able to do a hospital tour. My hospital hired out tens machines for free and you put your name down for them at antenatal classes.

peachyprice

You probably have to pay more for the 'posher' area because you get a better class of nibbles and herbal tea

bylromarha

Our NCT one would have been £100 for a day.

We thought that was too much, so solely went to the 3 NHS evening sessions. Having read the preg and birth mags every month, the classes didn't teach me anything new. As it was an evening session our teaching was aimed at working people. Clear, concise, good time to ask questions, but think that was down to a good teacher. Our hospital is very focussed on natural birth so they spoke lots about natural pain relief as well as telling us not to bring our own lavender oil as they had piles of the stuff for labouring mums! Worth it for the hospital tour.

Listening to friends who did the NCT day they said that it was a good experience, but upon questioning, they got nothing over and above what we had at NHS. Only more helpful than NHS for one friend who had specific questions about her specific illness and the NCT teacher had information of a person she could ring to ask detailed questions.

LilacPixie

I did the NHS ones, I went to an NCT coffee morning type thing and TBH didn't like the women, too crunchy for me. as a whole they just seemd very focused on natural birth, cloth nappers, bF and reusablitiy and sustainability with no concept that births can have complacations that mean these things are not possible or maybe the mther just does not want to do that. It seemed very competetive. Oh I want a home birth, oh i want a home birth too but i will be haveing candlelight and classical music, oh I will also be having a home birth however CD's can distress te baby and stunt mental development so I am having a full symphony orcherestra.

Our NHS classes were 5 during the day for women only, 3 in evening for women and partners and a further half day saturday class for breast feeding. Once baby was born and after 6 week check we were invited to baby massage which is absolutly fantastic.

balletshoes

I have to say I had no complaints about the NHS classes I attended, there were only about 8 of us, all first time mums and all about the same age. Ours was in the afternoon, apart from the first one which was early evening and partners could attend, and also our tour of the maternity unit was in the evening - my Mum came with me for a nose, because she'd given birth to my little brother there.

andrealm

LilacPixie wrote: »

I did the NHS ones, I went to an NCT coffee morning type thing and TBH didn't like the women, too crunchy for me. as a whole they just seemd very focused on natural birth, cloth nappers, bF and reusablitiy and sustainability with no concept that births can have complacations that mean these things are not possible or maybe the mther just does not want to do that. It seemed very competetive. Oh I want a home birth, oh i want a home birth too but i will be haveing candlelight and classical music, oh I will also be having a home birth however CD's can distress te baby and stunt mental development so I am having a full symphony orcherestra.

Our NHS classes were 5 during the day for women only, 3 in evening for women and partners and a further half day saturday class for breast feeding. Once baby was born and after 6 week check we were invited to baby massage which is absolutly fantastic.

:

Lol at the full symphony orchestra:rotfl: