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When do antenatal classes & hospital tours start???

I'm coming up to 30 weeks! I haven't been on here for ages...recently moved house and finally got internet sorted out and a lot of the ladies I'm used to seeing on here have gone!!:\( Prob because they've had their babies...but there are a lot of new people on here and I'm looking forward to discussing our pregnancy issues with you for the next 10 weeks! YAY!!

Anyway, the question is when do we book in for antenatal classes and are these done on the NHS or private?? I've never been to any before even though I've given birth before - it really didn't come natural to me...I had no idea what to do and final stages of labour and delivery which should have taken about an hour ended up taking 3 hours and I was exhaused!! My midwife said at my next appointment she'll discuss the birthplan with me, but didn't mention any hospital tours or classes. I'm also worried about going to the classes on my own has my oh works late most days will I be the odd one out??

Replies

  • This time round we have paid for an NCT refresher course which is in a couple of weeks (I'll be about 32 weeks I think). As I am hoping to have this one at the local birth centre I have to go there anyway for a tour and to be assessed, again going at about 32 weeks
  • hi yummy mummy, i asked my midwife on my last app when i can book in for the antenatal classes and she said ill be asked to attend when im 32 weeks.
    i dont know if all areas are different though, i live in n.wales.
    shaz
    22+4
    xxx
  • Hey Yummy Mummy. I remember you from before.

    I had the hospital tour on my second out of four antenatal classes. That was about 20 weeks or so.I was told of when I made me antenatal appointments after 20 weeks. Moody witches!!

    I don't know how it works with second births. Maybe they didnt say anythingt o you cause it was your second baby and they assume you dont want any classes or not allowed to have classes.

    I would talk to the MW if I were you or call your parent information department at the hospital or nearest clinic. Thats what I did.

    Tash+Bump

    http://tickers.baby-gaga.com/p/dev143pps__.png

  • Thanks for that...what are birth centres?? sounds interesting, are they like mini hospitals? and most importantly can you get epidurals there??

  • Hiya, all areas are different so you need to check with your midwife.

    In my area, you have to book your classes etc when you are around 20 weeks (coz they fill up quickly) to have the classes and everything at around 30 weeks.

    xxxx
  • Birth centres are usually attached to a hospital but the care is midwife led so it is a medical environment. They usually have the facilities for water births and are more homely. The drawback is they will only let you go there if they believe the birth will be straightforward and there is no anethetist so no epidurals! I figure that as last time I managed a back to back birth which ended up with an episiotomy, two ventouse attempts and then forceps, without an epidural I should be ok this time without one! lol
  • wow bedhead you should give yourself a pat on the back for that hun, id like to have an epidural x
  • I've just realised I'm booked to give birth in a midwife-led unit at my hospital, so I presume this is like a birth centre. It is in the general hospital, it has consultant care, but I presume as it is not a separate building from the hospital so I should be able to have an epidural. I'll have to ask!!
  • hi hun i'm 33 weeks and havent been told bout any antenatal classes or hospital tour.Not sure if this as because i already have 1 little girl,feel bit left out really as i never went to any in my last pregnancy either so would like to attend some this time round!i even had to ask my mw at last appointment about birth plan as shed not mentioned that either!
  • Mine start between 28 weeks and 32, ive missed mine for this month so have to enroll on next months and ill be 30 weeks!
  • Midwives are so far and few between mine tell me about how stretched she is because the NHS can't fund any more. That's why they just do the basics with you all the important and necessary checks because they have little time for anything else. You have to remind them of things you wanted to know. It's different in other areas, it's a real shame that we don't get the quality one to one time we need to have questions answered etc etc
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