MSE Pregnancy Club 27

SmlSave

It depends on your area Vicky Here the NHS class is a 2hr Q&A session while the NCT classes run over several weeks.

We went for the NCT classes (not cheap) and would recommend them highly. While DH moaned about giving up his time he, in the end, found them extremely useful.

The NCT are very pro natural birth and breastfeeding etc although they cover pretty much everything. Our class even went through dealing with visitors, the housework etc!

I've just had some unhappy news The birth centre said no I could do with a really good cry but will have to wait till I'm home and DH/DS are out of the way.

I'm sure the delivery suite will be fine its just I was hopeful. Need to find out more about the hormone drip for third stage now.

fran-o

Hi Vicky, it seems both nhs and NCT vary from place to place.

There is an NCT website which will tell you what's available in your area - for us it was 4 two-hour evening sessions for couples, plus one women's only session during the day. I found it hugely useful for information, discussion and getting to know local first time mums, worth the extra expense. I know in many areas the sessions are longer and take place on the weekend.

The nhs ones in our area were all daytime weekdays - I would have been able to get time off work to attend, but it would have been difficult for hubby, so we didn't really investigate this option. We did get onto a tour of the maternity services though through the hospital.

Smlsave sorry to hear you've been turned down on your preferred option... In our hospital whether you're in the birth centre or delivery suite you are encouraged to bring your music, massage oils, your fave pillow etc, whatever you need to make it more homely. Hopefully you can do this to make it feel less of a medical environment? Hugs x

becca0417

Vicky we went to the Nhs ones which were supposed to be 3 x2 hour sessions. First one was so rubbish we didn't bother going back although its not like that everywhere. The mw clearly didn't want to be there & spent most of the session talking about packing hospital bags when you can download various lists online!

Our NCT ones, on the other hand, seem fab! I say seem, we've only had 1 so far but I have the women's only session this Thursday am then breast feeding session Thurs night & all day Saturday. There are 5 other couples & looking forward to the rest of the course. I thought I knew a fair bit but learnt a lot in the first session.

Sml save so sorry they said no I think I'll be facing the same situation. It's gutting, even though you know you will do whatever for baby xx

jemb

Our local NHS one is a 1, 2 hour session that we were told by the midwife wasnt great! We booked NCT as first time parents we thought it would give us some insight rather than the blind leading the blind! They were good, could have been condensed, alot of group work with brainstorming ideas (something I hate, but that's just me). Were really informative about birthing, different pain reliefs, breast feeding (although they are biased and not alot to do with bottle feeding). Can be quite pushy, I was felt to feel like an alien when I said i wasnt having a step by step birthing plan as I've not done this before and the midwives do it day in day out!
NCT was good, but go in with an open mind if you chose that. They're also quite expensive, but small groups and quite alot of time spent with everyone. Would defo do again should I have to chose over x

cllola

I havent experienced the NCT classes but from what i have heard from friends who have been to both NHS and NCT is that the NCT classes encourage you to make friends with the other couples attending to provide peer support when the meetings finish. The NHS ones are more of an information giving class. They will go through what happens at that particular trust with all aspects of giving birth and postnatal care.

I remember with my last pregnancy we had to role play a cesearian birth...I was the woman and i gave birth to a fully clothed doll the size of a small toddler.

I'm giving it a miss this time!

claire16c

My nct class has been great so far. Not pushy on anything and the teacher is very good at saying this is what might happen, rather than doing things in a prescribed way. So I guess it depends on the teacher, we talked about birth plans last week and the teacher said there is nothing wrong with either not having one or just having a very short one, or being very detailed it's all up to you.

We have 4 2hr evening sessions, a 2.5 hr breast feeding session and a 6 hr Saturday session.

We've been to two sessions so far & 3rd one is tonight.

We've covered loads of topics and it's funny listening to everyone else's stories and getting to know each other.

At my hospital you get a one day 6 hour class no idea what it will be like yet.

SmlSave

Thanks fran and becca, I guess I can start writing my birth plan now I know where I'm going at least.

Faerie

Congratulations Bambisbelle and Mrs Bunny! Does that make me 3rd on the list?! :O

I have been going to the NHS parent craft sessions. They are 2, 2 hour classes from 6pm. They have added another hour session on breathing and hypnobirthing for next week, I have booked myself on it, but with 8 days to go until my due date I might not make it!
The first was about birthing options and pain relief, we also had a look around the birthing centre and the delivery ward - both look great! Then last night it was about assisted delivery options, post natal care and breastfeeding. Then visited the post natal ward in case we need to stay in.

The classes were ok, but I felt like they dragged a little and I felt like I knew most of what they were telling us. Some people there didn't seem to know much though which shocked me! I am glad we went if only for the tours and postnatal info.

I did feel a lot of pressure to breastfeed and found it uncomfortable, everyone else seemed certain they wanted to bf where as I really don't want to do it. I know it's the best for the baby but I just feel a bit weird about it, for no particular reason either I have said to my husband that I will try it but I will not be pressured into sticking at it if I hate it. He's ok with that but midwives and his mum are like the bf police. I also think that I wouldn't be confident to feed outside my house and I could not do it in front of visitors. I would be a prisoner in my own home! It's daft as my sister had no problems with it at all, her babies all latched on fine and she fed them all until 1 year old. I just feel odd about it.

I still don't feel ready to have this baby yet. The new house isn't ready and everything is in boxes awaiting carpet and furniture deliveries. The midwife freaked me out yesterday by telling me that the baby is 3/5 engaged and when she booked me in for a weeks time, she said "but.. we might see you at home with the baby before then!" Eek! Not yet, the house isn't ready!

I also haven't got a birthing plan. I don't have a clue how I'll be once I'm in labour and you can't plan it can you? I would like to to stay at home for as long as I can then try the birthing centre. If I need to move to the delivery ward, it is literally the next corridor so wouldn't be a problem. It would be nice to stay in the birthing centre and go home from there. I have said I'll go with the flow, the midwives have the experience, I don't, so if they suggest something then I'll try it. I'll have whatever pain relief I need to get me through it! My husband wants to cut the cord and I think I will have the injection for the placenta, I don't like the risks of haemorrhaging by delayed clamping. We'll see though!

squ1rrel5

The last list is slightly out of sync as there's a couple of births that haven't been added!! I'd update but I'm on my phone and impossible!!

SamToby can you update? If not ill do when I get home!!

Sorry, I'm just keen to see myself even further up that list!!! X

SmlSave

I have one friend who decided not to bf because she was really uncomfortable about breasts being out in public Faerie Her daughter is now 2, fit and healthy and has always slept like a trooper!

I'm hoping to bf this time but to introduce a bottle every 24hrs. With DS once I got past 6 weeks of bfing I was fine and continued till DS was 20 months. But I'm a stubborn so-n-so and happy to run around topless

If baby arrives before the carpet and furniture your OH will have to get everything ready for you Does he know where it's all supposed to go?