NCT Classes - worth it?

[Alyse.Baker]

Hello,

We are expecting our first at the end of July and would love some advice on whether to sign up for NCT classes. My partner and I have heard both positive and neutral feedback and are really on the fence considering the cost. I've read online that it's mainly a way to meet people in the area, but everything taught in the class is easily learned through books and NHS classes.

Having just moved here from the US, I am really looking forward to meeting some other moms and having that support system. But with the sense of community in East Dulwich I'm thinking there has to be other ways to do that also.

Any advice or recommendations? Thanks so much!

Alyse

[Cora]

Definitely worth it and yes, more for the social aspect although it is a way for you both to learn together a bit more about it all and voice worries. I think often dads don't get much of a chance to do this. Also for me the best bit was after the birth in the local nct tea groups (which I think may be open to non-members too?). These were invaluable at a time when my conversation was limited to types and times of pooing and sleeping!! I made my two closest local 'mum' friends through these.

[nunheadmum]

Maybe worth finding out about the different teachers - if you get a choice. They can be quite different in their style and affect the experience.

[Alyse.Baker]

Thanks for your advice!

We are enrolled in the NHS classes so we will be learning together there as well. Just unsure if it will be anything different in the NCT classes other than just a smaller group :/

I'm not sure we have any control over the teacher, since the classes are limited. We would just have to pick the dates that work best for us and hope we have a good experience.

[redjam]

I did the NHS classes for my first child up in North London and they were pretty basic with no chance to socialise, though they did cover everything. Didn't bother with the NCT classes. However I did join the NCT tea-group for my second child when we moved here and it was a really good way to meet people as it's purely social. That said, there are heaps of similar groups if you look on here or in SE22 Magazine and other publications so you can certainly avoid paying the class fees if you're only interested in the social side of things. I don't recall paying for the tea group at all as it was just an informal group with no 'leader' - the NCT just facilitated it but then we organised the meet-ups ourselves.

My understanding of the NCT classes is that they push quite a natural style of childbirth, which may or may not be your thing (I know the prevailing American trends in childbirth are more medicalised). Nothing wrong with that, of course, but just be aware there's a bit of an agenda!

[Pickle]

Personally, I think if it's the social side of it you are looking for, then don't spend money on NCT. The NHS classes will teach you the basics (nothing really prepares you!) and the forum is full of groups of expectant parents that you can join.

My NCT experience (albeit 9 years ago, as I only did it with my first baby) was a bit "meh". A very anti-intervention teacher, and I was in a situation where induction was necessary due to illness. It was a small group, but none of the couples really formed a bond and we didn't keep in touch beyond the first month or so after our babies arrived.

That said, I know lots of people who have strong friendships with their NCT classmates.

Good luck, whatever you choose.

[SingingWilks]

We're currently doing the Bump, Birth and Beyond classes with the brilliant and forward thinking Nicky Harris and would recommend it. The classes are midwife run which I don't believe NCT classes are (please correct me if I'm wrong) and social activities are encouraged.

http://www.ariadnasole.com/

Another option, and to get a slightly different perspective, is a hypnobirthing course. We did a course with Hollie de Cruz at London Hypnobirthing but one of our sessions was run by Lizzie Hammond of Hammond Hypnobirthing and I would have no hesitation in recommending either of them. You also get to meet other couples on the course. I learnt an awful lot about labour on this course but the disadvantage is that you don't cover the post-natal stuff, hence why we are doing the Bump, Birth and Beyond class as well.

http://www.londonhypnobirthing.co.uk/

http://www.hammondhypnobirthing.com/

[devsdev]

Our NCT group was an absolute lifeline for me (especially since we had recently moved to the area) and we are still good friends 3+ years down the line with more than half of us with second kids. To me the friendships were the biggest take away - though at the time it was definitely a helpful course to take as well. I couldn't make the NHS classes for various reasons and doing the NCT class over 3 weekends (last being the BF session) was great. We did the class at the Old Nuns Head with Becky (I don't think she pushed "natural" birth overtly - just provided relevant information especially about things like Pethedine).

Good luck!

[JDR]

My last time was 10 years ago. The classes are variable dependant on teacher, however, you can contact the NCT and request to be included in t groups after the birth. They group together mums who have babies of a similar age and location. After the initial intro they let you organise stuff between yourselves. I found this great for our first child and still meet the t group mums every month or so 10 years later

[mimosa]

Got to say that the NCT group I went to was kind of so so. The class itself was less informative than the NHS one we went to (we went to a really great NHS one. I kept in contact with some of the other mothers for a year, but we had little in common apart from our babies and it felt a bit forced at times. I think it's pot luck: if the other couples you are randomly placed with turn out to be the kind of people you might actually want to spend time with if you don't have kids then that's great. Otherwise you do a few sessions and then it petters out.

[monniemae]

Most people I asked insisted the NCT classes were an essential. I was very conflicted about it as I knew I didn't need to learn anything about birth (I'd just worked on a project about birth for a year and witnessed loads of births so felt quite clued up). I signed up anyway but my partner was dead set against it and in the end something went wrong with our house so I cancelled to get the money to pay for that. Ultimately, I ended up meeting mums through pregnancy yoga, breastfeeding cafes, baby groups and also the east dulwich forum mums group for the season you're due in (ie, mine was Autumn babies 2013). Through that I met some of the NCT women I would have been on the course with, they are all lovely and I've remained friendly with one, but I don't think that group would have stood in for the friends I did make overall. It is intimidating when you sign up for a group and then most other people are there in ready made mum friend (nct) groups but the friends I made independently are great, lifelong friends - despite I and they being shy and awkward and not used to reaching out to strangers! It's like dating in the early days... you have to be brave and suggest coffee or swapping numbers :)

[monniemae]

PS we did the NHS classes which were ridiculous but conveyed all the key info you'd get at NCT anyway. Friends' experience of the actual info you get at NCT is mixed - and no substitute for doing your own research

[jollymummy]

I did an NCT class with Tess Daley, who was amazing, and thought it was money really well spent. Met people in the class who 8 years down are some of my closest friends.

[Pugwash]

I was going to do NCT classes 30 years ago when my 2nd child was on the way, having had a 13 year age gap after the first. Ended up joining their coffee morning group instead. This was a group of mums all living locally who had children within the same period as my daughter (Jan/Feb) we took turns in hosting a coffee morning ( I think it was every 2 weeks) found it very helpful and with a couple of people we stayed in touch for a number of years as our girls went to the same school.

[canela]

I found most of my early baby friends through a breastfeeding cafe, though I know people who found NCT a lifeline as it just gives you an easy social structure in those early days. Not sure how much they cost, but if you can afford it I would probably go.

[Sunglasses]

I found antenatal classes were great for meeting people in same position. We were new to the area and didn't know anyone so it was a great way to make friends. We did the Ariadna Sole course (somebody else mentioned it above), She is a midwife at King's, She's really good. Totally recommend it. We had 6 other couples on the course and still meet with them 2 years later.

We also did the NHS one at Dulwich Hospital. It was good for learning about babies but not so good for the social side!

[Giacomelli]

I made friends thru Nct and through local activities. So not essential. It was great for my husband as he meets one of the dads at least once a fortnight. As he missed out on maternity leave Nct was the only way he could have made dad friends. Your own research is better than anything a class can teach. I was lucky in that I had uncomplicated births but those who had difficult ones on my Nct felt under prepared. Definitely worth going to NHS ones as you pay nowt and I asked the midwife a fair few questions. Good luck x

[cactus]

I found my NCT classes really useful, and there really wasn't a natural birth agenda, all options and eventualities were considered without judgement. Much of the content could have been sourced from elsewhere, but I really enjoyed being part of a supportive group. Plus I signed up for a shorter, intensive course, which was much more manageable than a longer weekly commitment.

Several years on and I'm still very close friends with 3 of my group.

However by far the most useful class I ever attended, was an NHS breastfeeding workshop at St Thomas's, I wonder if they are still on offer.

[Pugwash]

NCT run classes on Saturdays at Christ Church Barry Road.

[Northeastview]

I personally wouldn't bother. Kings offer good antenatal classes for free and we met people there. Also there are lots of groups at children's centres etc for meeting people. My midwifery group also offered a class of their own and there were home birth groups to attend too, and kings still had the breast feeding workshop (legendary)when I had my first, but don't know if it's still running? so loads of free opportunities. The ED forum has groups for people expecting and I dare say it is easy enough to meet up with those people. Keep your money:)

[edanna]

I think they are worth it. The one I did was pretty strongly pro natural birth, which it turned out was never going to be an option for me with the first birth, and also very strongly pro breastfeeding as I'm sure the NHS classes are. The practical stuff like different ways to hold the baby, etc was v helpful. You don't know how much you will hit it off with the other parents but I made two of my best friends that way. I never made it to the coffee mornings because they were quite early in the morning and I didn't feel confident turning up at a stranger's house. Meeting up with people you knew before birth is easier, especially if you're finding things tough in the early weeks and months after your baby is born.

[red]

We did classes with Ariadna Sole and would definitely recommend her and them! Entertaining and relaxed and met good friends out of them! The chance to ask questions at any stage of someone knowledgeable was great!

[Midwifenm]

Hi.

A couple of people have mentioned the courses which Ariadna Sole and myself (Nicky Harris) facilitate. Bump, Birth and Beyond. We have a strong emphasis on the social side with two meals after class 2 and 6, a girls and guys night out and of course a follow up reunion about 6 weeks after the little ones have arrived!

We aim to give evidenced based information in an interactive relaxed 2 hour session for 6 Wednesdays. Often hearing other peoples views and perspectives can be helpful as you make decisions about the actual birth and early days of parenting. In recognition that parents to be want more focus on the postnatal side, the first 3 sessions are on labour and birth and the following 3 are all after the birth!

Do check our site www.ariadnasole.com and we are happy to chat with you to see if we may be right option for you.