Experiences of NCT Classes

TulipRose · May 23, 2011 1:14PM

Hi Ladies,

Hope you and bumps are well.

I am looking at NCT classes in my area for September babies which will run from July to August and wondered if anyone had any experiences they could share?

I've heard quite good things about the courses and being a first timer feel it will give me more confidence and allow me to meet other couples who are expecting (we don't have any family etc nearby). I'm thinking the social side is most important afterwards too because I have a tendency towards getting depressed when I'm isolated and I know I'm bound to put myself under a lot of pressure with a newborn and lack of sleep etc!

By nature I am a worrier!

The thing is the course will be ??200 for us both to go together and it works out not bad value for money but its still ??200 which is a lot for anyone and we are trying to save as much as possible to pay for 9-12 months off work.

We'd pretty much decided to go for the antenatal classes but they've also written to me about postnatal classes which are designed to help with the emotional adjustment in the first few months and I think this sounds ideal for someone with my history/vulnerabilities. The issue is again cost.

So...I think I am decided on the antenatal and about 80% sure I'll do postnatal for the sake of me and baby but would be good to hear your experiences of these types of class.

I know not everyone will feel the need or want to do these and that's fine - I'm just saying for me I think they will probably be a very good fit and perhaps a necessity to make sure I don't hit too low a point which my GP and Midwife have warned about.

KayeCee_And_Co · May 23, 2011 5:17AM

I did NCT ante natal when pregnant with DD in Feb last year. I have to say, we thought ours were such a disappointment (I won't go into too much detail as I was quite vocal about it on here at the time!). In truth, I learned very little that I hadn't learned from the books I read and from talking to ladies on here. Our main aim was to meet others but our class only had 4 couples in (inc us) and we were all spread over a 20 mile radius so only subsequently met up a couple of times after. It really is pot luck though - lots of ladies in my last DI forum really enjoyed theirs.

Having said that, I started an NCT post natal course when DD was about 8 weeks old and it was FABULOUS! Very informal, a very loose format but there were 8 mums and babies and we continued the meetings once the 6 week course had finished. I seem to recall the PN group being quite a bit cheaper than the AN course too. If I could go back and only choose one it would definitely be the post natal course.

HTH K x

ourkez · May 23, 2011 7:55AM

Spooky I was going to post a similar thread ! I have confirmed our place on our course in August and it is over ??200. I have also been reserved a spot on that postnatal course but that is still rather costly and I am not sure whether to do it either! I think I am going to hold off and see how I am feeling after and whether we can afford it. If the course is full up then it will just be tough luck !

KazzieM · May 23, 2011 11:41AM

Sadly DH and I found NCT and antenatal classes with DD a complete waste of time as they didn't really tell us anything we didn't already know from MW/GP appointments. What has helped me out is the HV run baby clinics post birth, where I can take DD weekly to be weighed/measured, have a cup of tea/coffee with other mums, DD gets to play with other children (they cater from newborn up to 3yrs) and there are playgroups that come along with information packs about where and when they run specialist age group playtime. They already know I'm expecting again and are preparing another group for new mums with toddlers and BF support.

TulipRose · May 23, 2011 12:16PM

It sounds as though its going to come down to what elese there is available to me then.

If there are other groups then that will be ok but if not the postnatal sounds like a good idea.

The antenatal classes will be as much for hubby as for me too and as he's not read as much as me he might feel he wants to go too for his own peace of mind.

lizsmith1982 · May 23, 2011 12:21PM

i went to the parentcraft course (free) at local surestart centre and it was fab!

ZLS23 · May 23, 2011 1:14PM

G/C from due in July. I would recommend them. We are just doing our last one tonight. Our course was over 6 weeks, every Mon evening from 7pm till 9.30pm. We also had an extra breast feeding session on a Wed eve a few weeks back. I think the total cost was ??170.

There are 5 other couples on our course, all local to each other, all roughly the same age and all due within a few weeks of each other. The support through the course has been fab already.

All the group met up yesterday for lunch, which was lovely.

Zxx

Experiences of NCT Classes

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