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

loobylou232

I recommend the physio session as they teach you how to breath through labour (slowly blow the candle flame without blowing it out) and that really helps focus your mind through the contractions. good advice also for sitting, sleeping and post baby exercises. That's all I remember so I don't think anything else can have been useful.

FatVonD

I went to the NHS ones and found it useful in that the midwife running the class ended up being the one to visit me at home so I felt like I knew her plus our group all stayed in touch until the kids all started school which was a bit of a lifeline for me as all my friend's kids were much older.

LegalBlonde

Thank you all so much this is all really helpful.

With bf I am still not sure and am happy to let it happen as it happens. Before I got pregnant I found it very hard to get my head round it all and was sure I wanted a Caesarean and would never breast feed.

As time has gone on my head has got round the it's all natural a bit more, but I still can't totally get my head round b/f. I suppose telling myself at the moment I can exclusively express is continuing to help me get used to it and who knows in the end I might get used to bf and stick with that, or I might not and go to formula, either is fine, I just saw expressing as getting the best of both. I am sure she will soon let me know what it is she wants when she gets here :rotfl:

shazmg

When I was pregnant with my eldest I did all the classes and the tour of the hospital. Found out three weeks before she was due that she was double breech and I'd have to get a C-Section. Was such a let down. However, I recovered really well from the op that when I was having my second child I asked for another C-Section!

loobylou232

Bf is brilliant and once you get past the first weeks MUCH easier than bottles. I would recommend trying bf before you start expressing because if your baby takes to it straight away it is such a good bonding thing. I know it's hard to get you head around it and my first was bottle fed for a few reasons but the other two took to bf and it was lovely.

lisa26_2

I went to the single session at our hospital, it lasted a grand total of 2.5 hours and taught me nothing!! I was booked on an NCT weekend course but they changed the date without telling me and DH is at work on the new dates so we had to cancel.

Racheldevon

Re: BF, your local sure start children's centre (free services to families with children from 0-5 years -have a look on google for your local one) are highly likely to run a range of Breastfeeding services/groups etc, which tend to be very friendly, good places to go along and get some support with BF if you choose to go down that route, and can be really helpful in the early days of establishin breastfeeding