Antenatal Classes

[blueberrybaby8]

Have any of you been to any classes yet? I know there's some birth workshops and antenatal classes, and delivery unit tours.
Do we have to be referred by our GP's/Midwives to antenatal classes like these? I'm nearly 25 weeks and feel like I should have done something by now.
Anyone else planning on going to St Mary's in Manchester? Xx

 

[Jojo84]

I dud mine last time at about 32 weeks. I found it utter pointless (although the tour was helpful) but some fund them really good ;ours was basically an hour in a room being told things I already knew

 

[Phoenix85]

When I had my booking in appointment I got an A4 sheet of paper with all the local "parent education" classes on it and some numbers or email addresses.

It says on the paper you should start booking them at around 20 weeks but the actual classes won't be until you're around 28 weeks (obviously they only run every so often so you may be a few weeks less or further along, but that's why you should book at about 20 weeks so that you guarantee a place before your due date).

I would either ask your midwife or phone your maternity department, there should be some numbers in your pregnancy notes.

 

[Phoenix85]

Also, I never did parent classes with my last two, and I'm hoping not to be birthing in hospital so I am not too fussed about the 'stork walk' (tour of the labour & delivery units) Plus I have been there so I know they lay out fairly well lol. But I might do it one weekend just for something to do (lol!)

However my hospital now run some free hypnobirthing classes which I'm very keen to attend as most hypnobirthing courses cost around £200-£500, so I'm hoping to do the free ones and then just get a couple of books or CDs on it and practice at home.

I do think if it's your first baby (or not your first but you're wanting to breastfeed and had problems last time), the feeding classes most areas run are really good.
I never went to them with my first and struggled through to 4 months. With my second I was doing ok but I joined a support group when she was about 6 weeks old and learned loads then ended up doing their peer support course, after which I qualified and ended up doing breastfeeding workshops/antenatal classes and the info would have been really helpful when I had my first.

 

[blueberrybaby8]

thank you, that's helpful. I've already got lots of books on hypnobirthing as I'm really interested, I'd love my hospital to do free classes but like you said, they're expensive usually Xx

 

[andreatav]

I had to hand a flyer in with my details on when I went for my 20 week scan and they said they would send the class information through after 30 weeks.xx

 

[Shepherdess]

I was given info at my 28 week midwife appointment and I just had to ring a number to book. The classes weren't until I was 33 weeks (Breastfeeding class) and 35 weeks (labour class). I was worried that I was having my labour class very late on and felt like I needed to know but actually it was at a good time

 

[Blueclass]

I booked mine on Tuesday. I am 17 weeks today and mw told me to book early to avoid disappointment. I am due 10th June and my class starts on 4th April it's 2 hrs once a week for 4 weeks. X

 

[Unicorn]

We're going to do the NCT course xx

 

[russellmuscle]

We did the NCT in the November, I was due December. If you can its probably best to do it relatively close so its still fresh in your mind.

xxxx