NCT- worth it or not?

bylromarha

I think it varies from area to area.

My experience of NCT was of feeling judged because I dared to state that I was comfortable thinking I may have to bottle feed if breast feeding didn't work out and the lady running the course joined those who berated me, instead of defending me, as I was "giving up before I'd started".

I wasn't giving up - I just acknowledged in public that feeding my baby was the priority over a breast fed baby. How very dare I.

As it was, I breast fed both of mine for a year. And have no contact with anyone from that group.

lilmissmup

That's a shame, I bottle fed mine from 10 days as did a few other mums in my nct group and my teachers/supporters have never judged us.

ZsaZsa

bylromarha wrote: »

I think it varies from area to area.

My experience of NCT was of feeling judged because I dared to state that I was comfortable thinking I may have to bottle feed if breast feeding didn't work out and the lady running the course joined those who berated me, instead of defending me, as I was "giving up before I'd started".

I wasn't giving up - I just acknowledged in public that feeding my baby was the priority over a breast fed baby. How very dare I.

As it was, I breast fed both of mine for a year. And have no contact with anyone from that group.

That's such a shame, we should all be supported and I don't see the issue with acknowledging the alternatives. In our area, we had the opposite. A few of us went to the hospital classes alongside the NCT ones, and they were pretty poor. They refused to acknowledge that we might consider bottle feeding, but our NCT "teacher" was great, and was very much of the "happy mum, happy baby" school. There's such a disparity between regions

Counting_Pennies_2

The NCT for me was worth it for the support and guidance in the run up to birth over several weeks.


My needs were met, and despite it advocating natural birth, when 4 out of 6 of us needed C-sections due to various complications, one of us (me) had pre-warning of the impending procedure due to breech presentation and we had one evening dedicated to the whole process. I went into my C-section much more confident, the others subsequently benefitted with their emergency sections.


We also took on the breathing techniques and the dads were encouraged and assisted in what support they could give. We then had a breast feeding session and a follow up after birth.


I think it helped all of us massively, and not sure the NHS sit in a chair for half an hour is much of a substitute.


I also met a lovely group of mums who for the preschool years were invaluable to know, at least once a week we met up and were there for one another and had some good times.

Rambosmum

So it's sounding to me like it's worth it if only for the friends you make.

I'm pretty knowledgeable on the pregnancy/ birth/ newborn and so on side of things, even though this my first and I appreciate that it will be different with this being MY child but I doubt any amount of classes can prepare you for that!

MrsMuffin

ashtray_heart wrote: »

We did NCT and I didn't really learn anything that I couldn't learn from the internet or from a book. However I have made really good friends who I now meet up with regularly. Someone on the course put it as an expensive way to meet middle-class mums. Not very MSE but been a lifesaver for me as I am new to the area, was lonely and blue once DH returned to work and it has meant I have people to talk to and get out of the house with.

100% this! Having friends who are going through the same thing at the same time has been so important to us. We did NCT and there were 9 couples. The Mums and babies have (and are still) meeting weekly. My Little one has just turned 1. We did it for the social side, well worth it!