NCT- worth it or not?

Rambosmum

I'm 10 weeks pg but from what I've heard the NCT classes near me fill up quickly so if I'm going I need to get my name down. But is it worth it, or are the free classes at my local children's centre going to do the job? Is it a case of getting posher parents at NCT?

barbiedoll

The women at my maternity unit tend to prefer NCT classes because they meet other local parents. Our AN classes are held at our large London hospital, which covers a wide, densely populated area, the chances of meeting other parents who live in the same area, at the same class are quite slim!

If your local CC is holding AN classes, you should definitely think about signing up for them. From what I've heard, it's mostly "posh" (i.e. middle-class) parents who use them anyway. And they're probably held by midwives from your hospital. NCT teachers can be a bit hit and miss, some of them are fantastic, others not so much. The social aspect is important, many parents meet up with their "classmates" for years afterwards, if you attend a local class, you're bound to meet someone that you click with. NCT can be quite expensive so why pay for advice that you can get for free?

Armchair23

The NCT classes mean you get to know a group of Mums who are going to give birth around the same time locally.

You will get post birth meetup's organised for you.

I'm seeing a friend tomorrow I met when we had our babies 30 yes 30 years ago !

When your'e pregnant everything is about the birth but actually that's over and done with fairly quickly and the friends you make and the support you receive afterwards is really significant.

Have a beautiful pregnancy birth and baby X

bouicca21

I still see a group of friends regularly that I too met at an NCT group 30 years ago.

Jagraf

Yes for friends.

chanie

I didn't. The classes were over £200 and I thought that was money best spent elsewhere.

I did read up on the classes and it seems that the social aspect is the main benefit -meeting other parents who live locally. You may meet a great set of people, but then again you may not.

nattykins

Me and my husband looked into going to NCT classes. They wanted to charge £60 for me to do the classes AND £60 for my husband. The times for the classes were also pants, so my husband would have had to take time off unpaid!

I have an issue with a CHARITY that wants to charge so much for classes, especially when some first time parents are nervous!
I put the £120 towards paying for my Level 2 Sign Language course instead.

Loolah

My daughter went to these with her partner and as they are a low,income only had to,pay 90% of thr cost. Worth checking that out maybe

janb5

NCT may have charity status but may not be a charity in the conventional sense so that might have coloured your opinion.


Ante natal classes do vary in quality so I have heard very positive things about the NCT classes and the social aspect is important. Some people find it very helpful to meet other families prior to the birth and forge great links which exist for years afterwards.

bouicca21

I don't know what NHS ante natal classes are like now, but 30 years ago they were a waste of time, the NCT ones were way, way better.

betsie

My son is 17 yrs old this week and I still meet up with the other girls from my NCT group.
It is worth it for the friends.