NCT/Birthmatters Classes - worth the money?

Lixi_2

I have decided to go for the NCT classes after close friends of mine who had a baby relatively recently recommended them. £179 is the cost for me. My friends' group bonded really well. The dads meet up for curry and beer nights every now and then (although some of the boys seem to be quite under the thumb as they are never allowed to drink). The mums go for weekly coffee mornings and stuff and have their own support network. I am really looking forward to doing them. The message my friends got was that there are options for parenting different ways (not the teacher's way or the highway type message that others who have commented here seem to have had). The one thing they moaned about was that in one session they were asked to make plasticine models of people in their "support network" and they baulked at that (it made me chuckle, although I would probably feel the same way!).

daska

Gillyx wrote: »

I found our NHS classes informative and good enough for us. We had 4 2 hours sessions, some with midwife, some with physiotherapist. I've not yet had my baby but glad we didn't shell out for the NCT classes.

The only thing I would say is ours didn't start until 6.45 and ended at 9pm. I was shattered after them and felt they were held a bit too late and maybe a bit lengthy.

I find it ridiculous some of the snobbish attitudes on here, for what is essentially a money saving site. I would say me and my partner were the youngest at our NHS classes and we are 23 and 24. They weren't full of chavs or 16 year olds, I'd say mostly normal couples.

Good Luck with whatever you decide

But my experience was that the majority of the NHS class was at least 7 years younger than me and there was not a single professional person there. I'm not saying that only stupid people go to the NHS classes - that would be silly cos I went to them, but they serve different purposes and it would be silly not to explore the pros and cons of each of them with a mind to your personal expectations and aspirations.

There is nothing moneysaving about avoiding doing something which benefits you simply because it appears expensive. If the cheaper alternative won't do the job then it's a false economy. In my case I knew I would have less than 9 weeks maternity leave between giving birth and returning to work, the cost of the NCT course was probably the equivalent of 3 mother and baby groups for a year. I got friends from the NCT class which I didn't get from the NHS class because, as previously explained, we had absolutely nothing in common apart from the fact we were due to give birth around the same time. The 'knit your own yogurt' aspect of the NCT was a perfect fit for me, Eastenders and the latest celebrity handbags wasn't. To that extent I am a product of my upbringing, it's not a criticism of those who like those things, just that I don't 'get it' and therefore feel like I've suddenly grown two heads.

MrsExcited

Thanks for all your replies guys - definitely food for thought!

Now to chuck another spanner in the works.....did any of you see that woman on One Born Every Minute last night? She said that she didn't go to any antenatal classes as she thought that ignorance was bliss. And then did you hear her after the baby came out? She said "it didn't even hurt" well you could see that it hurt but the birth looked calm.

Do any of you have opinions on not attending classes at all? Or is that stupid?

balletshoes

well, as I said, I don't remember anything about the breathing exercises etc we got at my classes at all. Personally, if I could have arranged with the midwives to have a tour of the labour suite before going into labour, that would have done me. Can you do that?

I had already read my baby book cover to cover by the time I was 3 months pregnant, so in that respect I don't think there was anything vital I missed at all from my antenatal classes. And like you, I wasn't remotely interested in the social-network building aspect of the classes.

mildred1978

MrsExcited wrote: »

Thanks for all your replies guys - definitely food for thought!

Now to chuck another spanner in the works.....did any of you see that woman on One Born Every Minute last night? She said that she didn't go to any antenatal classes as she thought that ignorance was bliss. And then did you hear her after the baby came out? She said "it didn't even hurt" well you could see that it hurt but the birth looked calm.

Do any of you have opinions on not attending classes at all? Or is that stupid?

I do think there's something in that. I really didn't want to know the gory details. I had no books, didn't watch any programmes etc.

We did the NCT classes predominantly to meet people and so that my husband would know what was happening at the time (I was 6 months pregnant when we did the classes).

I think I could have had a birth like the woman on OBEM (at home) but the reality was that I was in slow labour for 4 days, induced at 42 weeks (not allowed in the birthing pool when induced) and was too exhausted to get him out on my own. I had nothing but gas and air until being prepped for the forceps - I'm sure if I were allowed in the pool I'd have coped without that. I could have done without 4 days and nights without sleep too!!

I was rather jealous of the girl on OBEM

Make-it-3

NCT classes do attract more older/affluent mums who are usually joining to make a network of friends. I delibrately avoided them because I didn't want to be part of a "yummy mummy" set all competing as to who has the brightest/bonniest baby.

NHS classes vary enormously. I decided to check ours out as they were free and was pleased I did. They were run by our community midwife team, which meant I was able to get to know them a little better. I didn't learn much because I had done a lot of reading/research beforehand on birthing/bringing up baby. It was a small group from the immediate local area - only a couple of ladies kept in touch but those contacts were invaluable as we gave each other a lot of support in the early days of motherhood.

If you are deciding on the basis of what info you will receive maybe go for NHS as they tend to tell you more about what to expect in your local area and how the hospital you will be using works re maternity set up.

mildred1978

Make-it-3 wrote: »

NCT classes do attract more older/affluent mums who are usually joining to make a network of friends. I delibrately avoided them because I didn't want to be part of a "yummy mummy" set all competing as to who has the brightest/bonniest baby.

NHS classes vary enormously. I decided to check ours out as they were free and was pleased I did. They were run by our community midwife team, which meant I was able to get to know them a little better. I didn't learn much because I had done a lot of reading/research beforehand on birthing/bringing up baby. It was a small group from the immediate local area - only a couple of ladies kept in touch but those contacts were invaluable as we gave each other a lot of support in the early days of motherhood.

If you are deciding on the basis of what info you will receive maybe go for NHS as they tend to tell you more about what to expect in your local area and how the hospital you will be using works re maternity set up.

Has the OP actually said they are planning a hospital birth?

sarahevie

MrsExcited wrote: »

Do any of you have opinions on not attending classes at all? Or is that stupid?

I've never attended an antenatal class in my life. Labour one I was too scared to. Also the NHS dates didn't fit very well as I was working 2 hour commute from home.

Had a completely natural delivery. Didn't even know what breastfeeding was really, nobody around me had ever breastfed, first out of my close friends to have a baby etc. I breastfed for almost 18 months.

Labour two was going to do NCT, as friends had made good friends on the course, especially the men actually. Didn't bother as 'I'd done it all before' plus I was supposed to be having a c section, very medical birth due to health problems with baby. Ended up having her completely naturally in the entrance to the hospital after a very quick labour. Breast fed for over a year again.

I don't think that they are necessary, I never did any reading etc. We are a professional, educated couple - I like to think of it as natural and no amount of planning can prepare you.

skintchick

sarahevie wrote: »

I don't think that they are necessary, I never did any reading etc. We are a professional, educated couple - I like to think of it as natural and no amount of planning can prepare you.

I think the opposite. I did loads and loads of reading )things like Childbirth Without Fear by !!!!!! Grantley Read and lots of breastfeeding books including Sheila Kitzinger) and I had a natural home birth with gas and air for just the last hour and I don;t think I'd have achieved it without all that reading and being prepared.

Just because something is natural doesn;t mean you can't prepare yourself for it, but some people like to know what's coming, and some people don't.

Depends what kind of person you are, I guess. My friend just gave birth 2 days ago, she refused to read a thing!

rubytuesday

I had these classes nearly twenty six years and nineteen years ago respectively and felt they were well worth the money.