Pregnant ladies - did you/do you go to NHS (parentcraft?) antenatal classes?

shellsuit

anguk wrote: »

Same here, in fact when I had my kids I don't think there was such a thing as a birth plan! I was quite surprised when my friend kept her own notes when she was pregnant a few years ago and she had to take them to all her anti-natal appointments and to the hospital when she was in labour, I didn't have anything like that.

I had a birth plan with my 1st and 2nd, that was 16 and 14 years ago, but didn't with the last one.

With all 3 children (youngest is almost 3), I had my notes all the time.

Spendless

I went to parentcraft classes with the first, who is now 12. The birth plan I made (though i thought I did this via the MW I saw not at these classes) was pointless as was my breathing and relaxation classes as I ended up with an emergency c-section under a GA and it was for that reason i refused to make one with my youngest. The lessons about juggling relatives. friends, other children etc was the most useful I'd say and for any up to date info regarding sleeping etc. Though nowadays I am sure that is updated on the daily news bulletins. I never went with the 2nd as they were run in the evening and we had no babysitter for the eldest.

dizziblonde

I'm booked in on ours (2 hour slots over 3 weeks) - only because they're very local to me and hubby can get the work time released to be allowed to come. If I go to the first one and they're TOO preachy (particularly in terms of demonizing bottle feeding - not that I don't plan to breastfeed - it's just a personal hate of mine how the promotion of it is all handled) or it's too obvious I don't fit in I won't go back to the others. Mainly going for the benefit of my husband who is living in wonderful obliviousness about it all still really. Midwife knows my views and very much advised me to go just for the networking aspect of it really.

No hospital tour - we have to make do with an online "this is a photo of the entrance to the delivery suite" level "tour" (well since it's opposite ante-natal we're all going to KNOW that bit!) and even if there was one it would be in the other hospital to the one I'm booked in at anyway.

pinkclouds

I've got two kids - youngest is 3 years old. Went to one class when pregnant with eldest, simply to satisfy hubby's curiosity. Waste of time, in my opinion - and hubby agreed. Pity he didn't agree before we went!

sooty&sweep

Hi

I went to antenatal classes and a tour around the delivery suite with my first. I found them useful because they helped me to prepare mentally for what was ahead and they also gave me the opportunity to discuss with other mums to be the pro's and cons of different pain relief etc etc.
A midwide does not have time to have a proper discussion in a 1 2 1 appointment. My antenatal classes were done by my community based midwife team though not by the hospital so they were already familiar faces.
Jen

sweaty_betty

msb5262 wrote: »

Hi OP,

I went to both - NCT and NHS - because the NHS classes were too far away to be any good to me in terms of making friends etc, but I did want to go to the hospital, talk about what happens during/after birth, see the equipment etc.

The NCT classes were great for making friends (much nearer home) and for learning lot about breastfeeding and different positions for delivery etc. The NHS classes were also very good and I did get to see the delivery suite etc before going in to give birth. (I also asked to see some forceps, the Resuscitaire etc and this was arranged) Really simple things like under what circumstances you can have a water birth at the hospital, how they put in an epidural, how the bed can be moved up/down/bent into a useful position for you....they were all useful and made me less anxious about the birth.

I second this. NCT was great for making friends, NHS was better for the (mainly medical) facts about birth etc.

bluebluecow

I did NCT and NHS with my 1st, I hated the NHS one and did one class and the tour at 27 I was the oldest, The NCT ones where very helpfull, and although I missed the last 2, induced at 37 wks, i made some great friends, there was about 3-4 mths between our due dates, drug free birth wasnt pushed, the laugh was one lass asked at every lesson is this when I have a epidural, and she ended up with nothing lol. I felt very prepared, with my 2nd and 3rd then no nhs offered except for tour.
My tips are dont push when they say dont push, try and relax and go with the flow as every birth is different, your not a faliure if you have every pain relief possible, In fact as I had more I had more pain relief, number 1 was drip induction (V painful) and just gas and air, number 2 the gas and air made me sick so pethadine worked he was very quick, number 3 was a problem birth and pethadine and gas and air lol, she is still a madame at 5 lol

MsHoarder

I've found them OK. The physio they've had come in to talk about back problems, relaxation, breathing, massage etc has been more useful than the midwife though. Its been useful to hear about pain management, but they could do with fewer tea breaks and less audience participation (I don't want to hear about a non-qualified person's decision to use homeopathy!)

Our hospital tour is a seperate thing too.

missmontana

No, my son was 5 weeks early, so didn't get to go to mine!

MummyOfTwo

i went with my first and they were pants. I thought the title parentcraft would suggest babycare and there was none of that at all - all about labour and delivery, which IMO isnt the bit you need to be so versed in as you have your midwife there with you. Im also a bit sceptical about birth plans, having seen so many disappointed women. Have an idea and then go with the flow, see how you manage the pain, and work with your midwife to make the best choices for you. If you are very keen to breastfeed, try nad see if you can source an individual source as they can be pretty handy, if only to make the contacts for help after baby arrives.

good luck for the rest of your pregnancy, and enjoy the crazy ride afterwards!