Are my NCT classes going to be too late?!

[ladyruskin]

I am due to give birth to my first baby in July (11th being the NHS's prediction). We start our intensive training classes with the NCT on 11th June (a date we were allocated with having given them our due date). I am due to be starting NHS classes this week and was told that their June class beginning on the 2nd June would be too late for us as I may have given birth by then!

I am now worried that the NCT classes will be too late and I won't make the mummy friends I had hoped for.

From my scans there have been no indications of early delivery, but now I am panicking that I am going to be stranded as a first time mum with no buddies to help me out :(

Yours,

A truly neurotic pregnant woman

[newmommytobe]

Hi there,

I'm not an expert by any means - I'm also expecting my first baby but have just signed up for NCT classes myself. I looked at both cource options (intensive and standard) and it looks like the intensive courses tend to run over 3 weeks, so you should be fine timing wise.

If anything it may not leave you much time to buy any last minute new baby things that you may have forgotten about that the midwife may suggest during the course but I'm sure by then, you will have stocked up on all the essentials so I wouldnt worry yourself about it too much.

I'd suggest you contacting your course leader and let her know what your concerns are. There's also lots of baby groups in the area that will give you loads of oppurtunities to meet mummies. I'm still researching them but happy to share the info once I've got my head round it all!

Hope it goes all well for you

Best wishes

[newmommytobe]

Forgot to say that you could always try and switch to an earlier course if they have space?

x

[Saffron]

Don't worry ladyruskin :) the dates seem fine to me. And there are always plenty of 'mummy friends' to be made on the Forum as well! xx

[buggie]

We did intensive NCT classes over 2 consecutive Fridays - all of us were 37 wks on the first Fri and we all made both the classes. Think any earlier and it would have washed over us/been forgotten by the time the birth came along!

Hope you enjoy them as much as we did - still meet up with the NCT girls and babies on a weekly basis 7 months on :))

[EDmummy]

You can always join a NCT tea group when bubs is born. That is how I met almost all my early mummy friends and unlike the classes they are all local to ED whereas those from my ante-natal class came from Lambeth and Southwark. I still meet up with my tea group mummies 10 years on!

[ladyruskin]

Thanks all, it's reassuring to know. I know of several women who have made lasting friednships through their NCT group and wouldn't want to miss out on the opportunity!

buggie - you make a good point - I am also a little concerned that my NHS classes are too early! Must stop worrying...

[cazbee]

The dates sound fine to me too. Even if you miss a session due to an early arrival (this happened to me) you won't be left out of the catch-ups! You could also look into enrolling in an NCT postnatal course. I went to a lovely one at the Goose Green Centre that started when my baby was 6 weeks old. It was so nice to get together for a few hours each week in a supportive environment with other new mums. Living in this neighborhood with all the different activities and all the babies you'll soon find you have lovely mummy friends coming out of your ears!

[bobby's bear]

I agree your dates look fine to me. I started the NCT intensive classes a month before my dute date and managed to fit in both sessions and still have my baby 2 weeks early! I think it is best to do the classes as close as possible to giving birth as then it is all fresh in your mind and feels more relevant.

[Monkey]

I did not go to any NCT classes and still managed to give birth, love every minute of maternity leave, make lots of friends and most importantly raise a happy and healthy baby.

[KristinH]

If you're worried NCT will be too late then you could think about joining Sofie Jacobs' fab antenatal classes that she runs at the Mag on Thurs evenings. Then you'd at least have the practical info and also meet local parents a bit earlier on.

On another note, may I recommend a free pregnancy relaxaton mp3 from www.hypnobirthingdownloads.com and if you're interested in Hypnobirthing I'll be delighted to tell you about it.

... And Monkey is right, you can absolutely have an amazing pregnancy and birth, with lots of local friends with or without classes so just enjoy each day of this incredible journey you and your baby are on!

[ClareC]

dates look fine, its normal to have the classes the month before the due month. You will meet people there but also you will meet other mum's from groups etc around ED.

I am due in 3 weeks (number 2) and have met loads of people through number 1 and this forum!