Antenatal Classes

[tinkerbell86]

Hi,

Is anyone doing the NCT Classes or know if anyone has done them before/ are any good?

There is only a 1 day course that the hospital offer which is not that local and the other free classes the midwife knows of is always fully booked so no help there!!

Also has anyone been on a hospital visit? as we have 2 to do and wondering if they are worth it - but will have to do them seperate weeks as they are on the same day at the same time!!!

 

[LucyH]

Hi,

I really wanted to go to a class - but my hospital doesnt run any in August - Due to MW'S being on holiday Thought it was very rude!!! All of July was fully booked - So havent been to any classes Booo

Went on a hospital visit - well worth it!! I enjoyed seeing the MLU - my hubby can stay with me over night too in a double bed!!! lovely!!!!

If you dont know the hospital and maternity well - I recommend a visit for sure!!xxx

 

[tinkerbell86]

Well to be fair i haven't called the hospital yet to find out if there are any spaces.....i only got the leaflet from mw today!!

I just wanted to do the two hospitals on the same day so i can compare them but have to do them a week apart!!! The hospital nearest me doesn't offer classes as far as i'm aware...

I suppose the only other thing is pay for the NCT classes but i don't know anyone who has done them.....

 

[ickleprawn]

Hi,

I did a three session course with NCT and thought it was great. I feel much more relaxed and informed having done it and it was great to meet other pregnant ladies. We also discussed hospitals etc, which was really useful.

I would definitely visit any posible hospitals/birth centres. Again, it made me feel much better about it all, we could time the journey and ask lots of questions about what we need, what to expect etc. I've also been to classes run by the midwife and they were good too - not as good and thorough as NCT, but nice to get a slightly different perspective on things.

Good luck!

 

[Kiwi]

I did the NCT course and would thoroughly reccomend it - if for nothing else other than the friends you will meet. In our area we had 7 classes so forged really strong bonds with the other couples. Have been out for loads of coffees with the other mums to be during my maternity leave and we've already organised a baby sitting circle. Admittedly, you might find aspects of it a bit fluffy if you're not into the whole organic birth experience but otherwise it's great x

 

[inky]

I didn't do the NCT course, I did the free ones that the midwife offered instead. To be honest I didn't learn anything I hadn't already researched myself but it was nice to meet some other mums-to-be. I did have a tour of the hospital and found that more helpful, it's nice knowing what to expect when pop day arrives, so I'd definitely recommend doing the tours if you can

 

[Minchin]

Hey there,
We did the NCT classes after lots of debate. REally really glad we did them, met loads of nice couples who have met up with a few times and I think that suport will really help when baby is here. The information was nothing new but it was helpful to be able to discuss things in such detail. Also doing a labour ward/MLU tour this weekend.

 

[berit87]

We are going to be doing the NCT ones as well. 3 courses, 1 each week starting from next week. My neighbour did them before having her boy in December and she really recommended them.

I wasn't gonna do them but OH really wants to go to be more involved and informed so... Plus because we are on tax credits, instead of paying £86 we are paying £8.60 for them - definitely worth it I would say!

 

[Annie050408]

We are going to do the NCT ones in September as we've been recommended them by 3 other couples we know. I don't think we'll do the hospital free antenatal ones as DH doesn't see the point in doing both and I think he's probably right there.

I went to look round the labour ward last night and it was really useful because we have a choice of hospitals here and the one I looked round last night might be closing before I go into labour but is very close to me. I now need to see the other labour ward to make a decision.

 

[Countrybumpkin]

I have had a good number of friends and family who have done the NCT and highly recommend it for first time Mum's. We have put our names down, just waiting for info and booking form to come in the post.

I have also book us on the NHS one, which is a couple of hours, this includes a tour of the maternity ward. I also know they do a drop in on a Sunday, to tour the ward if people prefer, so worth ringing and asking.

 

[titch]

Hi,

I really wanted to go to a class - but my hospital doesnt run any in August - Due to MW'S being on holiday Thought it was very rude!!! All of July was fully booked - So havent been to any classes Booo

Went on a hospital visit - well worth it!! I enjoyed seeing the MLU - my hubby can stay with me over night too in a double bed!!! lovely!!!!

If you dont know the hospital and maternity well - I recommend a visit for sure!!xxx

ahh youre in UHW! Jealous! I was wish them but we moved halfway through the pregnancy over the border, so we're with royal glamorgan now. No double beds and only one birthing pool! starting to wish we'd stayed with UHW now!

Its well worth having a hospital tour, you can start to prepare in your mind for the big day, the less surprises the better IMO.

 

[berit87]

Our hospital here doesn't do tours, apparently the policy has changed and they are not allowed, can only get a virtual tour on the internet

 

[Leanne and Andy]

Mine start from 24th Aug and we have 3 classes every Tuesday from then on! Im dead excited!

 

[Tasha89]

We did the free classes - 2 at the local childrens centre and 1 at the hospital with a physio. Found them quite interesting. Didn't learn too much as i've really swatted up on pregnancy so knew most of what she was going on about...but the physio one was handy as she gave us some relaxation techniques and discussed positions to labour in

 

[bobkat]

we did the free ones the community midwives ran, it was interesting to meet other parents to be but the information wasn't exactly new cos lots of it I'd seen on here or picked up from other people - it was frightening though how little some people knew about how the baby came out though! Surely when you're pregnant that's the first thing you check!! We also went on some hypnobirthing classes which we had to pay for but they helped explain alternatives so feel like got both bases checked now. Can't go on hospital tour till I'm 34 weeks so here's hoping bubs doesn't fancy making an overly early entrance!