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Can any1 please advise me on antenatal classes? I am yet to see my midwife which I' m a little upset by, I'm 10 weeks this week and as its my 1st as really eager to see baba..
I read one of u cannot book antenatal as ur classes r full, I want to avoid that but dont know where to start? Do u have to pay for the classes? when should u start? Are there any other classes any1 would recommend? I'm new to the area so am hoping I can meet other expectant Mums in my area...
Marie...x

Replies

  • HI,
    Your local hospital should run antenatal classes. Think you have to be referred by midwife or GP. Maybe best asking them, when you get to see them!
    I did'nt see my midwife until i was 12 weeks. Have not been signed up for antenatal classes yet. You might also find info for private antenatal classess on the web try NCT. hospital classes are free, probably have to pay for private ones.
    hope this helps. where do you live? i am in East london and hope to find other expecting mum's in my area.
  • i panicked that I'd be too late too when I read all that about classes getting really booked up but I'm now actually not sure that they do until you've at least had your first scan. I contacted my local branch of the NCT (www.nct.org.uk) and aksed them to let me know when the best class would be. The courses are only 5 or 6 weeks long so I figured you don't want to go too far in advance as you might forget everything!! And you'll want to meet people who are due at around the same time as you. Anyway they actually offered me a course in Nov/Dec but as I'm not due til April I asked if that was the best one for me and they have actually let me pre-book onto a course in Feb which will be much better. so i think i was a bit over eager initially!! Still at least i know the Feb course isn;t booked up & I have a place sorted. Anyway I'd recommend you go on the NCT website and take it from there. You do have to pay for their classes (mine is costsing ??95 for the course) but apparently they're the best ones to go to. I think you also get offered NHS classes for free whihc I think I'll probably go to as well if possible but I'm not sure how they are arranged as my midwife hasn't mentioned them so far (I've had 2 appointments).
    I hope this helps! x Feebs
  • I live in Canterbury / Kent, still waiting to see my midwife and I'm nearly 10 weeks, apparently there is a shortage in my surgery!!!
    Hoping this isnt a sign of my luck, have looked at NCT, will wait out for midwife I think n c what she says, just didnt wanna miss out, thanks Feebs, I prob will do both... Marie
  • I've just finished my ante-natal classes and i was offered hospital or community.I chose the latter and had my classes in a church hall with a midwife i was regularly seeing.In the last class I met my health visitor which was really good. The classes consisted of 3 sessions and a tour of the maternity unit. I would recommend you do these free courses or NCT but not both as it's a lot of information to take in. I wasn't offered the classes by my midwife until I was at least 26 weeks pregnant as they like you to start them around 30 weeks.

    hope this helps
    Nina
  • Hi All, I put my name down for NCT classes quite early on as a friend recommended them. I am 35 weeks now and my first class is tonight. I was really pleased that I got myself on the waiting list as about a month ago I was told by my mid-wife that there were currently no classes being run by the hospital as there was a disput over funding. (very helpful for us first time mums!) So had I not been on the NCT list I would have missed out completely! So it's worth looking into sooner rather than later. Oh and on Sunday I went for a look round the maternity unit of the hospital, just to see where all the action would be taking place. I found that quite helpful as I now have a picture in my mind and it's not quite as scary.
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