Alternative to NCT classes?

[Eliza_V]

Hi all,

Been trying to get hubby and I booked on an NCT course, but we're fairly restricted due to only really being able to do the evening classes due to other commitments.. And the *only* one suitable is all booked up! I've tried looking at some weekend dates but we've got family visiting or are away, and even looked further afield but they're just too far away!

I loved the idea that they're all about "natural" birthing (I'm hopefully having a homebirth) and also that you're much more likely to meet other like-minded couples who will help build up a fantastic support network after the baby is born (which I know I will need as we're on our own up here).

Are there any other alternatives to NCT classes? The hospital ones are only 2 x 2hr sessions, and they're no doubt all about when you can have your epidural or something..

Help

 

[rachiedata]

Hi! I'm booked onto NCT classes, on a weekend course for June babies although I'm due in May - is this an option, to go on one for a different due month? I think I looked early enough that I could have got on to a March one if I'd wanted... although one of the good reasons to do them is to meet people due at the same time as you, if you've got your heart set on the course content then this could be a solution. We had to do weekend as OH works shifts - the course co-ordinator was really helpful and rung for a chat before the booking was confirmed, so maybe ring them first and ask if they have a solution for you, their name and number should be on the 'your area' section of the website.

Don't write off NHS classes altogether - I'm booked on an infant feeding workshop tomorrow at the hospital, although I'm home birth too. I've heard from both sides that it's very useful and informative, and by both sides I mean people who have attended NCT classes and were very much of the natural persuasion, to people who had no interest in breastfeeding beforehand but came away enlightened! In my area they also do active birth and antenatal yoga - these are based in Childrens Centres so check those in your area for different classes.

I'm almost regretting my decision for NCT classes now - I'm sure we'll get a lot out of them, but as far as a normal labour and birth process goes I've learnt loads off the internet using scholarly articles and reference sites, for relaxation techniques I'm doing the natal hypnotherapy and could have done aquanatal/yoga/active birth (as well as working full time, yeah right, but this is a different story!) all for free round here, and the hospital breastfeeding class combined with my local NCT supported (but free) home birth group could have provided the personal support I needed. I got the money for them from health insurance through work, so it's not a big financial loss, but wish I'd explored the NHS options more thoroughly now. If you have supportive midwives, they can recommend the best 'natural' free classes in your area, and if you're of the persuasion anyway to research and make your own choices for the birth then you'll likely know a lot of what the NCT will cover anyway.

 

[SmokyJoe78]

My yoga teacher did a class - if you google yogabirth you might find something
or I know some doulas do classes?

 

[Celesse]

My experience of NCT classes was not really a "natural birth" orientated one.

I was the only home birther, the other couples where very much "must go to hospital to be safe with the doctors there". The teacher wouldn't discuss home birth much and said to us that they don't like to say things such as home being "at least as safe" and talking about the cascade of interventions as that takes away the confidence of the women who have chosen to have hospital births.

We looked at normal labour and coping stratergies but not in not in any great depth. They covered a lot of birth and early days stuff, like emotional changes, dressing baby, family reactions.

I was pretty much made to feel like a bit of a hippy freak, especially as we where the youngest and poorest in the class. I did meet up with them a few times after the babies where born but they stopped inviting me and 2 of them even removed me from facebook!

 

[sophxx]

I didn't have a good experience with nct either it wasn't about natural birth like we thought it would be! It was focused on epis c sections how to manage as a new parent ect , there was no info on home births no homeopathic info or hypnobirthing which me and oh were really interested we found we learnt mire from books and on line!
There is a couple of birth classes that are very focused on natural birth here there just ran by couples! X

 

[Eliza_V]

Thanks for the advice guys! I guess the content of the classes varies greatly depending on where you're from and who's running the class as well - as I've heard the opposite with some classes refusing to discuss epidurals and c-sections! It's strange that it can vary so much. xx

 

[earthquake]

Hi is there no eprivate companies around that offer the classes. Our hospital contracts the classes out to a private company so we get a course for a reduced rate and can choose which of 4 sessions to go to. They even have one specialising in active,natural and home birth. Not sure where abouts you're from but they're called baby dolly if you're interested and offer the course privately in sessions or in a whole day on Saturdays I think and they're based in hinckly in Leicestershire I believe. Might be worth contacting them if its too far away to see if they're aware of simalar companies nearer to you?

 

[Eliza_V]

I've had a look on Google to see what's about and there isn't much in the way of private classes - and the odd few ones I've found at community centres all seem to be intesnsive courses on a weekend which we can't do! There are antenatal classes through the hospital (2 x 2hr sessions) but I haven't heard great things about them, but we're going to go along anyway. There's a homebirth and waterbirth evening run through the hospital as well, but I don't think they'll be all that great since, despite the fact they offer these services, they try their damn hardest to stop people using them x

 

[sophxx]

I'm not far from you but if your willing to travel there's alot on heden bridge?

 

[rachiedata]

I was pretty much made to feel like a bit of a hippy freak, especially as we where the youngest and poorest in the class. I did meet up with them a few times after the babies where born but they stopped inviting me and 2 of them even removed me from facebook!

Oh dear, that sounds like us! We're usually the youngest parents whatever we've been to (well, I am, not so much OH!), when people have mentioned having baby in the same room at first we have smiled to each other - a one bedroom flat doesn't leave much choice! - and although I usually enjoy the odd one out feeling of being a home birther I wouldn't want my choices questioned in that way... don't mind curious people but if it's the usual attitude we come up against them I just can't be bothered, especially in a setting that's supposed to promote the normality of birth.

Hopefully OH will get confidence from them as he confessed the other day he didn't feel like he knew "enough", so that should be good, and we could do with a lot more practical newborn baby advice... we'll wait and see!

 

[Eliza_V]

Hi sophxx - we can't really travel that far given that it's got to work around DHs work hours, and it takes him 45 minutes to drive each way from work as it is so we'd end up being very late! Plus we were hoping to meet local couples as I don't have much of a support network up this end of the country (moved here from Hertfordshire).

I've tried to get a place on a daytime course (1 morning a week for 4 consecutive weeks) as hubby told me he had to go away with work this weekend & Monday despite work making him change personal time off for those days already.. So I was sort of owed a favour really.. And have told him to demand those 4 days off and that the demand is coming from the scary hormonal wife So far he provisionally has them off so if we get a place on that course then that's pretty much sorted (and I can't stay mad at him for going away.. Darn).

I wont lie, I'm slightly worried now given that they promote "natural" birth so much - I'll probably be the youngest mum-to-be and the only homebirther as well by the looks of things.. Despite part of the reason of me going there is to make friends in a similar situation, if anyone questions my choices in that way I will end up getting rude and defensive in response. (rachiedata, we can compare notes! Haha)

But then again I was also worried anyway given the experiences some others have had; where one made her feel like a failure for having an emergency c-section (didn't get invited back to the meet-up after the birth as she "didn't have the same experience as the others") and my stepmum was banned from hosting meetups as she had to stop BFing the twins at 4 months due to painful mastitis, and was made to feel like a failure because she didn't last the full 6 months despite managing with her previous child :S This lot seemed to really force the breastfeeding and you were made to feel like a bad mother if you didn't want to or couldn't do it. Seemed the groups in that area were the "hippies" lol.

Well, I can only go and say I've tried, eh? Thanks for the advice everyone. xxx

 

[sophxx]

i was the youngest mum at mine by over 10 years but ive made a lovely friend so hopefully you will to xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

Some doulas will do private antenatal preparation classes without you having to actually book them . They will do them at your home and at your convenience.

 

[Eliza_V]

Mervs Mum - Does that generally mean I'm going to book the doula for the birth if I do that though? Nothing against doulas (they're a fab idea!) but I don't think I'd want one at my birth xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

That's what I said

 

[Eliza_V]

Whoops Blame the baby brain for that one!! Thank you xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

No probs!!

 

[Eliza_V]

But if I do change my mind and go for a doula.. I see you're based on Yorkshire xx

 

[Mervs Mum]

I am indeed but I'm afraid I'm fully booked in July but I can recommend lots of other fab ones

 

[rachiedata]

Thread bumped as I went to my NCT classes at the weekend and wanted to report back!

Well, they were really good. It was an intensive course, so all day Saturday and Sunday, and we've got a breastfeeding workshop on Tuesday evening for two hours with a different teacher. The teacher this weekend was really great - she held everyone's attention well and was so knowledgeable about all things natural birth including current national clinical guidelines as well as experiences of local women and local hospital policies and procedures. I'm not sure if she was a doula or involved in other peoples births in that way - she certainly gave that impression, but either way, I was really impressed by her vast knowledge.

The class certainly did cover ALL birth options - we did cover induction (a little), forceps and ventouse and quite a bit on caesarean birth. Generally it was how to avoid them, lots of info about the cascade of interventions that won't be new to many who read this forum and other natural birth websites but was definitely new to some ladies and gents who were at the class. There was a mix of couples there - we were the youngest (I knew it ) and the only unmarrieds there (quite surprised in this day and age!). There was another planned home birther like me, three ladies who wanted hospital birth and one who was having a planned, necessary caesarean.

The nicest thing to see over the weekend was that some of the hospital birth ladies who came in wanting all the pain meds available during birth visibly changed their minds over the weekend, just by knowing that they had a choice at all stages in their labour, and by being better informed about the side effects of some common drugs. Another lady (who was a hospital doctor and her husband was a nurse) were leaning towards changing their plans to a home birth by yesterday, which was also nice. The lady who was having a planned caesarean was also empowered to know that there was still choices she could make to improve the experience for her and her family, when before she had thought all her choices had been made for her by her medical circumstances.

Lots of info on how birth partners can be useful including support, empowering dads to ask questions of the midwife/doctors, sticking up for their partners wishes, massage and breathing techniques they can help with, just loads which was excellent. Loads about helpful birth positions and things to do with how to know labour has begun. One thing I thought was helpful was a "choose your own adventure" type written exercise with your partner, which really made you think about when to call midwife out/go to hospital. It's easy to say "when contractions are regular and strong" but I don't think I will be able to keep from getting excited too soon - was useful to question yourself and stop to think.

Again it was really useful for dads - think my OH was reassured by the fact he knew more than he thought about the whole thing (he does listen to me after all ), and our teacher did quite a lot of splitting the group into men/women. This was really good, as at one point the ladies played a very civilised game of 'caesarean fact or fiction' with written cards, and the men played the same with Lego/Duplo type figures which probably appealed to them far more Think they also felt a bit more at ease in a group of men with admitting any fears about the process or any ignorance in the absence of us women.

There was a bit about postnatal life and care of the newborn, again with a natural emphasis, info about reuseable nappies and what baby needs and doesn't need. I personally could have done with more of this, but as well as feeding workshops this is something that is done in NHS classes in some depth locally to me. Of course, one of the best things about the class was meeting other parents in the same position as yourselves - it's hard to "make friends" over two days but we have a postnatal reunion arranged and it's guaranteed you will meet someone you can identify with either in your approach to birth and parenting, or who lives near you or people you would be tempted to keep in touch with afterwards just for support.

In short - worth the money, not at all scary, still very pro-natural, happy we went!