NCT Antenatal classes - worth it?

tra_2

Hi. We went to NCT classes three years ago and it was worth every penny. Not only did I learn all sorts about birth and looking after a baby, I made some fantastic friends. There were eight couples in our class and we still all meet up regularly. Two of the girls, I see weekly.

In the first year, the support we gave each other was invaluable.

amandajo

We signed up and paid for NCT classes last year (DS born beginning of August).

I would say they were excellent - I went into labour knowing exactly *what* was going on. I felt that had there been complications then I would have a very good idea what would have been happening and why. I think the class about breastfeeding was especially good and would have happily paid £200 just for that!! Saying that, none of our actual class has kept in touch, but it was from a such a wide geographical area.

It's a shame that in my area there are not even any NHS antenatal provisions anymore - my friend was told to 'read a book' :shocked: by her midwife on learning about labour!! She's too late to join NCT classes now (you have to sign up very early!)

I would recommend anyone for NCT classes - you are also introduced to a large network of help via the NCT trust too.

bylromarha

Never did them. Was going to, but they didn't have a teacher. Glad in the end as...

Everyone I knew who has done them are, erm, politely put, love em dearly, but they're WET! Not my parenting style at all. Think I would have got v frustrated during the classes had I done them. Got loads of info from the NHS classes and the literature we were given with them. Best source of info though was my sister who was completely honest with me about stuff in a way only sisters can be!

The 1 friend I would say it was worth doing NCT for was a friend with a heart condition as the NCT classes brought up things about childbirth which she talked through with her consultant. She said she would never had considered those things to ask had she not done NCT.

musical_norwich

I am a bloke so I don't know how useful you will find my feedback, but, as far as I can make out the main reason why people do NCT, if they live in a city like we do, is to meet other middle class mums and dads to be. The 16 year old kids with the scrunchie-induced Croydon facelifts tend to predominate in the NHS classes. That frankly I think is the truth.

£200 sounds very expensive to me. We paid £90 two years ago and the woman who took the class had written an NCT book on childbirth, but that did not include membership. All but one of the NCT class are still in touch, and meet up weekly, and I think nearly all the group has found the mutual support invaluable and some really good friendships have been made. If the group wasn't from the same area I'd question the value, particularly at £200 - the only person who didn't stay in touch was the woman who lived ten miles out of the city in the country.

On the education itself, I am not sure you learn much, and the whole natural childbirth/aren't drugs evil business I find a bit overdone, given that loads of women and babies in the developing world die through lack of forceps, doctors, etc. and the whole guilt think can make people feel bad when there is no need. Don't waste money on a TENS machine as it is like taking a single aspirin for a cleaver wound to the skull if every mum I have ever spoken to is to be believed.

We had one all day session on a Saturday and it was fine, along with a few other evening sessions.

cazziebo

I had them but wouldn't recommend. Didn't cover anything not covered by NHS classes (maybe I was just lucky to have good NHS provision). My OH found it all a bit earth motherish and he didn't enjoy it at all.

I did find the NCT helpful after the birth. we moved 200 miles away and it helped me get to meet people. It was also great that as a new mum with no family around I could get much needed advice (help, a green nappy? what do I do??) from other women who had been there before. Moved again when dd was a year old and joined a new group and same again. Some people couldn't give it up - still attending and swapping birth stories when their kids were almost secondary school age!

Crispy_Ambulance

NCT teachers are all fully trained and now they have a diploma in antenatal education, validated through the University of Luton. They also undergo regular assessments of their teaching and are required to attend update sessions to make sure their knowledge level is up to date.

NCT training lasts for a minimum of 2 and half years - the midwives running the hospital classes are unlikely to have had nearly as much training on facilitating classes and on adult learning. Classes should cover labour, birth, pain relief, parenting and early postnatal life. There will also be a session on breastfeeding.

The 2 day courses might seem to be less useful than the 8 week courses, but you will not be sitting and listening for 8 hours - there should be a variety of activities and many people get a lot out of the 2 day courses.

If someone really can't afford the fee and they tell the booking clerk, they will be asked instead to make a donation of what they feel they can afford. Nobody should be turned away because they can't afford the fee. However, £200 for 2 people for 16 hours works out at £6.25 per person per hour, which is fairly cheap for this kind of course. It will include handouts, refreshments etc. and the fee may include membership of the NCT.

NCT classes are not about learning the "NCT Way" to give birth - they are about giving you the information you need to make informed decisions about the birth of your baby and afterwards.

Hope that helps

Agutka

The NCT membership is not included in the £200 fee. No mention was made about there being any chance of reducing it. And with my first baby I'm scared to miss out.

Oh pooey. We were supposed to get the house ready for baby - desperate for new boiler, bathroom nearly falling through the ceiling and I don't know how long the woodden eroded windowframes will last. We increased our morgage a few months ago to get on track, but what with the stupid car breaking down, dog being ill and my raspberry cravings, we just can't get the cash together. Goodness, listen to me. Take no notice, I'm just upset I can't make it to Poland for our 1st wedding anniversary.

Justie

it may still be worth speaking to the booking agent now that you know fees can be reduced... if the cheque's not been cashed yet then it's not too late.

bylromarha

musical_norwich wrote: »

Don't waste money on a TENS machine as it is like taking a single aspirin for a cleaver wound to the skull if every mum I have ever spoken to is to be believed.

If you're a bloke, then you don't know this for you!!!!!:D It's different for different women.

My TENS was fab, really helped lots and was the only form of pain relief I needed 1st time round. (2nd time round no pain relief available as my little girl was born in the passenger seat at 90mph, but that's another story:rotfl:)

Didn't pay for the TENS either as the NHS classes gave us a form to fill in to get a free hire from the hospital physio dept. Just had to pay for a replacement battery. I'd assume the NCT inform people of this free service too if available in your local hospital.

Worth getting hold of one if it's free and ditching if it doesn't work for you during labour, though can't recommend it highly enough.

izoomzoom

Hiya

I laboured in another country, so didn't have the NCT, but the ante-natal classes that we attended were fab.

We made two friends (had our babies on 15th, 16th and 17th), and were wonderful friends for the first two years. Afterwards one moved country and then later we did as well (both to UK), but we are still in touch.

One of the things that I still remember today is (8 and 6 years later) that the breating techniques, whether they work or not, most certainly gave me somthing else to focus on.

I will be doing the course again, but perhaps just the re-fresher, which in my area is £35 (I think).

It is worth going, but not for £200. I would stop the cheque and then get in touch and explain that you can't afford and get them to accept a lower figure that you are more happy with.

Good luck and enjoy ...