NCT vs free NHS antenatal classes...?

[MrsP84]

First post! Hopefully someone can provide some insight...

I'm 13 weeks preggers with my first baby. I've been told to go to an antenatal class/course later in my pregnancy but to get booking now. Sounds like a great idea, but can anyone tell me if it's worth paying for the Nct classes or just going to a free NHS class? And if the latter, where do you find these free classes? The NHS website doesn't make it very clear!

Thanks

[Hidden]

Hello, and congratulations!

I had to phone the community midwife team to be put on the list for the NHS classes, which are held at the hospital. I had three classes, which I didn't do until about a month before my due date. X

[MrsP84]

Thanks! Were they any good??

[Hidden in reply to MrsP84]

I thought they were really useful - there is a bit of a social angle, but the information was great! They also covered things like breastfeeding, not just labour positions and pain relief X

[Sophiesmummy]

My midwife advised me fairly early to book onto the antenatal classes, the free ones here are held at the sure start children's centre. I just had to phone them and they booked it for the course nearest your due date. Ours was one day, with about nine other couples. Fairly helpful but as I had read so many books beforehand I knew most of what they were telling us. The helpful bit was about when to go to the hospital, what would happen when you arrived etc. they showed us the epidural needle, the catheter thing and explained a lot of that sort of thing. It was nice to meet other couples and I felt it was a nice bit of baby bonding between me and hubby. Well worth going. If you go to the nct ones I've heard they are great but I couldn't afford it at the time. If you decide to go for the nct ones I'd suggest going to the free ones too, you never know you could meet some nice mummy friends x

[Numbers]

Hi, I did both, do them nearer d day. Thought the nhs ones give you info like a lecture and we then did nct that is more workshop.

The best thing about nct is the friends you make. I have some good friends out of this, and it's great to chat with friends in the same boat as you. They are expensive though and no more informative than the nhs classes. The nhs one also told me their protocols and we were shown round that I thought was great for me. I still felt a bit lost on how I was going to care for newborn.

[2andcounting]

Congratulations. Completely agree with numbers above... We need the NCT ones and 4 years on we are still friends with our class... And go on holiday a few times a year with one couple! Can highly Reccommend for the social angle alone. Very helpful to have new mummy friends on text all due at the same time as you and on text for the 3am feed! Goodluck x

[candiceandsesame]

I would absolutely recommend the nct classes. The info is great but also the network of friends is amazing. Especially those first fews wks when you are all going through the same thing.

However there cost around £250. So it depends if you can afford it but for the friendships you make, I think its totally worth it xxx

[craftingfoxcub]

Ours only cost £140. I think it depends on income levels. They were more focused to getting you to think about the birth choices you can make, and discussing with other couples, both individually and as a couple, as it can make a real difference for your partner talking things through with other men and women, and not just you. They did lots poon coping with new babies, and we really enjoyed getting to know each other. We are meeting up in September with all the babies and hope to meet up regularly afterwards. Reports differ on how useful people found the n h s course. NCT courses also show you things like am epidural catheter, if you want to see it, they encourage you to read the NICE guidelines and Cochrane review etc, not just the notes for patients, which can be very limited in the amount of info. As I have chronic medical problems this it's the kind out self informed and empowered approach I am used to reading with my medical care, and find that often professionals don't want to burden you with that much information, but I feel that it is necessary to be confident in making the right choices for me.

I really want sure the course would be worth, but it really was.

[Hotdiggitydog]

I did the nhs ones. Moved to a new area at about 6mths pregnant and my midwife gave me the details of the local sure start centre and times of the classes. I had 6 sessions, all on a Monday evening so my boyfriend could come too. I found it all very informative and they always answered any questions anyone had. I then felt more comfortable going back with the baby for classes and groups as I knew the leaders and some of the local ladies x

[MrsP84]

Thanks everyone, all answers have been VERY helpful! Think we may try an NCT course then as we are new to the area and could do with some "mum friends" nearby. Thanks again!

[adeline123]

I went to nct yoga classes through out my pregnancy so choose not to pay for expensive nct antenatal classes. That way I had the best of both.