Antenatal classes

[Penstraze]

Im probably getting way ahead of myself but was reading through bumf in my bounty pack the other day and is a list of all antenatal classes and says I have to book myself and to book early because they get booked up quick but how early do I need to book im not seeing midwife now until 25 weeks do I ask her then or is that too late?

 

[xJodieLoux]

I've been wondering about ante natel classes too, I'm sure my midwife said at my last appt that she would discuss it with me at my next appt which is thursday. Does anybody even go to them? I don't know anybody who has

 

[handbagqueen]

I've booked mine in with the NCT though so had to get in early. I was asked at my first scan if I was going to go to their classes or through NCT and when I said I'd been looking into them privately the midwife said 'oh, I'll put that you're going private then- we get very busy'. I thought that was fair enough as I'd probably prefer that until we recently had to fork out £279
Does your hospital have a website with info or just call your midwife and ask her- I'd probably do it sooner rather than later just in case it does get booked up.

 

[mandspice]

Ooh, I was wondering about this too - midwife hasn't mentioned a thing yet, I'll be seeing her in 4 weeks. But I'm not sure how useful they are, anyone know what actually goes on at the classes? x

 

[JoAnn&Aimee]

I am going to discuss this with my midwife tomorrow. I am hoping I am not too late to book the classes. I really want to do them.

 

[Sandi4Paul]

we are doing both NCT and NHS. The NCT i had to book by about 14 weeks. The NHS ones we had to wiat until we had had the 20 week scan before we could book.

But i understand they do book up early.

Sandi

 

[kalia]

It might be worth calling your midwife to check. I can't remember hich appointment I asked at but it turned out she had booked them for me when I first saw her

Others haven't been so lucky so they haven't been able to get to antenatal classes.

I liked the classes - I didn't learn anything I hadn't already from books or here but they were still good. The tour of the labour ward and midwife unit really relaxed me about going as it looks much nicer than I'd imagined. And I always thought that ward meant sharing with others so I was very worried because I didn't want to be in a room with others while in labour But it turns out they are lots of individual rooms. The breastfeeding class was fantastic.

People who have gone to NCT classes have mostly spoke of the advantage of making new friends. I didn't make new friends at the antenatal class but I have at aquanatal and I'm sure I will at parent and baby things too.

 

[Penstraze]

Thanks girls might give the midwife a ring after 20 week scan I would like to go to them but only about the actual birth not the care of baby after birth cause they're usually just ran by nursery nurses anyway and Im a trained nursery nurse in early years

 

[HideiLu]

Ooh, I was wondering about this too - midwife hasn't mentioned a thing yet, I'll be seeing her in 4 weeks. But I'm not sure how useful they are, anyone know what actually goes on at the classes? x

Oooh I was going to ask exactly this!

Might have to give me MW a call by the sounds of things, but shall be seeing her in a couple of weeks anyways x

 

[Jade&Evie]

you normally start antenatal classes at around 30 weeks and most of them run for a few weeks. Some areas do a day though where they incorporate the hosp. tour which I think is around 35 weeks in MOST places.

Your midwife will let you know when you need to start booking them but I reckon you've got a few weeks yet before you need to worry

 

[abcd1234]

Seems im lucky with mine, they're on every few weeks and you simply attend whichever session you can or they circle for you at a local childrens centre, i think i'll be about 33 weeks when i have my first one.

Ours are only small though, a morning on labour and pain relief, a morning on your new born and then a coffee morning with mums and mums ot be where you can dicuss breast feeding etc with people actually doing it.

I've also jsut had a session on breast feeding, its benefits and how too's. This has been in my maternity notes since i was 12 weeks so i've known abotu them and they mention them at every visit i have.

 

[aramintalovegrove]

When i went last time, we did

lots of relaxation stuff.
coping with birth, what to expect,what the instruments and words used were
trip to the hospital
pain relief choices
preparing for newborn, how to feed/change/bath, postnatel care.

ummm and I think anything we wanted to cover really

I will be going again mainly because its more time off work

 

[Noor~ul~Usman]

I'm surprised some people are getting left so long I had my dating scan yesterday and have already been told to book in with the midwife in 6 weeks time and also tell her if I want to attend classes.

Must have good midwives/nurses around here

 

[Mildly]

I don't think my bounty pack said much about the antenatal classes, I will have to look. My midwife hasn't mentioned anything either. I have my scan next week and will ask then.

 

[Jollypops]

My midwife booked our classes at my booking appointment at 8 weeks. Our classes are in July

 

[Sherlock]

I never booked mine.

My MW actually takes the classes anyways, along with the other community MW. So at about 28 weeks I phoned her and said when was the next one and she said 'Friday, see you there' sort of thing and that was it. Same for the others I attended. Went to a local childrens centre place and had our classes there. Not crammed, about 15 of us each time. And she repeats them over every x amount of weeks then so each new group of women can attend, be it before 30 weeks or after.

I think each area is different, call your MW up and ask

 

[lisa282]

Personally I wont be going to classes this time. I went to the NHS classes when I was pregnant with my son and found them to be a bit of a waste of time to be honest. Im not saying you shouldnt go, its very much a personal choice, but they didnt tell me anything I didnt already know or couldnt have found out by reading a book or looking it up on the net!
Basically they covered the changes in your body, signs of labour and what to do, then the actual process of labour such as how baby descends and what happens physically. The next class was all about pain relief during labour, what is available and how it affects you. Then it covered the birth and what happens after, delivering the placenta and onto recovery. Then the final class was a follow up one to discuss care of baby, how to bath, feed, change etc and a long bit about breastfeeding.

Maybe its just me, but I was a bit neurotic with my first and read every pregnancy book in sight and was constantly on the internet too. So I kinda got all the information I needed from there and was quite clued up before I went to the classes so found them a bit mundane and boring. Plus the one thing I was really interested in - relaxing and breathing during labour - wasnt covered at all so I just felt like I didnt gain anything from them. However, the one good thing I will say is that you do get to meet other mums and families around the same stage as you, so that is one bonus. I personally wont be going, but thats not to say they wont be useful for everybody, just depends how much research you have already done for yourself.

 

[Redshoes]

I would talk/ring your MW because there are different types of classes, from labour and birth to baby care, and they are run through different organizations, your MW will probably run hers through the NHS, but there's NCT and private classes, but many book up fast so you need to look into it soon in case your choice is one of those