NCT Antenatal classes - worth it?

Agutka

I have just popped a £200 cheque in the post, WHICH WE CANNOT AFFORD :eek: , to pay for NCT antenatal classes. I had to pursuade hubby to write the cheque as he was not convinced, but at first time parents I think we need all the help we can get.
Unfortunately the organising lady said that instead of the 16 hour run up to the birth, where you meet people from your area, we may need to have just two HUGE 8hr sessions where you can't really make real friends that fast, so hubby was hugely disappointed.
And if the teacher is as boring and droning as the physiotherapist we encountered recently (made 2 women pass out) then I don't want to be paying.

Are these classes faboulously helpful? Please say yes!

spoilt_BUT_appreciate_it

I never did anything like this and have always wondered if it were a mistake as it may have helped me to be relaxed rather than feeling like I couldn't even handle simple breathing in and out or use the silly gas and air as I obvouisly wasn't using it properly...kept coming apart in my hand

Has anyone taken the classes the second time round or is it really just for first timers... so to speak ?

Amanda65

I did both NCT and doctors ante-natal classes with DD1 and have to say that both were great BUT the main advantage of the NCT classes were that they were for couples (the ones at my doctors were for mum only with one session for the dads as well) and a much smaller group (only 5 ladies instead of 25!). I made very good friends at both but, 16 years down the road whereas I still see my doctors ante-natal friends regularly I only exchnge Xmas cards with the NCT lots, mainly due to the fact that they were spread over a much wider geographical area and therefore once the children started school it got more difficult to meet up and so it kind of fizzled out. I cannot see though how you would bond (or how much you would realistically take in??) in an eight hour session - I would query whether or not this was worth it and as you say there won't be much oportunity for getting to know the other couples / mums.

I think OH got quite a bit out of the NCT classes, although TBH saying 'breathe' all the time was about as much as he contributed to the birthing experience lol!

I guess it's horses for courses and depends on whether you think you will benefit from experiencing ante-natal classes together. Also the NCT classes were much more supportive at that time of breastfeeding, which I found invaluable. Good luck!

Rikki

I had a day long NCT session many years ago. He's 18 now. :eek:

For me it wasn't about meeting people to associate with afterwards, although we did have one get together but that was more because of the people we were not nct.

The day was taking you through the stages of birth, how to make yourself comfortable positions in labour, positions for birth, partners involvement etc.

I had an active birth in hospital and baby was born with me squatting. I was able to do this because of the confidence I gained from attending the NCT session.

There is also a great book I read, the books in the loft but I'll see if I can remember the title.

Sagaris

I didn't do NCT classes (well it was a long time ago and didn't really know they existed!) but did the local ones run by the clinic - very helpful and informative, so I'd say yes, even if it's just to know what goes on during the birth itself.
Bit of a waste first time round as I would NOT go into labour (ended up with a caesarean, just as well as DD1 was breech and over 10lb) but took notice of absolutely everything second time round and ended up doing the relaxation and breathing really well - didn't even need gas & air! And it was so much better knowing what to expect.
Money well spent I'd say - I still see the friends I made then (and still give thier kids lifts home from the pub LOL)
I visit post natal classes a lot in my line of work, most of them went to NCT classes and they all say how good they were.

Rikki

The book is:- Active Birth by Janet Balaskas

It is a very informative book. It shows you alot of things you can be doing now to prepare you for the birth.

Justie

on the details of our NCT sign up it says that no one is denied access to NCT classes and if finance is an issue to speak to the co-ordinator... everyone should know that the cost not set in stone - and £200 is a lot :eek: ours are £90 (+NCT membership if you want to join), it seems to vary a lot depending on where you are in the country.

Nicki

I did the 2x8 hour sessions with no 1. You are right that there wasn't the same opportunity to bond with the other parents. In fact for the post-baby reunion only 2 couples out of the 8 who did the course turned up!

Having said that I did keep in contact with 3 of the mums after the birth, and am still very good friends with 1 8 years afterwards though have lost contact with the others.

I did the hospital classes too, and although I didn't see any of the mums from this class afterwards, it was much more helpful, not least because it explained the practises and policies in that particular hospital. The only thing I took away from the NCT class to be honest was their suggestion that doing the ironing would help ease the pains of labour (yeah, right!) whereas the hospital was more sensibly suggesting that you should try to get as much rest as you could between contractions in the early stages to preserve your strength for later.

dianadors

I attended classes at the doctors and ones run by the maternity hospital(partners attended this too). These were both free and very informative. I bonded more with other mums after the birth of my baby at a baby and toddler and still see many of these now. My friend attended the NCT classes and didnt seem to be anymore clued up than I was. I think it seems a lot of money -sorry.

Agutka

My hospital does run classes, they are 8 hours in all and I would not have known anything about them had I not been made to wait for my scan - started reading the walls and found lots of relevant flyers. I think these are free. Then you have the water birth class, and the physiotherapy class and the one for fathers (why is my OH not at all interested in this??). These are all one offs and I shall be attending, as the more info you get, the easier it must be to cope with any surprises...

It's just that the NCT has been sooo sold to me by other parents, although mostly for the making friends factor...

And btw, you don't have to be on a low income to be stupidly poor and penniless...

Thank you all.

daphne_descends

If I had £200 spare (well, you know what I mean, not SPARE spare, but could spend) and with a summer pregnancy, I would buy a mobile air conditioning unit.

The NCT classes have a huge appeal, but personally I don't think I could stay focused in that kind of environment for 8 hours straight.