Some of these are available online. It is important to research the credentials of the course providers. Your midwife or GP may be able to offer you guidance if you are unclear about which classes to attend. Classes may be offered weekly, during the day, in the evening or over a full day, depending on the maternity hospital or health centre.
They may last for 2 or 3 hours or longer for a full day. Benefits and entitlements for parents. Read our cookies policy to find out more about our cookies and how we use them.
Page last reviewed: 1 May Next review due: 1 May Antenatal classes. Read about how to protect yourself from Coronavirus during pregnancy. Getting information Talk to your GP, midwife or your public health nurse about where to find information to help you prepare for the birth of your baby and becoming a parent. Online resources Online resources may also help if your antenatal classes have been cancelled. The focus is mostly on preparing for labour and birth , but there's also a breastfeeding session and an open forum for discussion and sharing concerns.
As well as helping prospective parents learn more about childbirth, NCT courses are popular because they offers parents a lifeline in their local area: they're a great way to meet other expectant parents who live nearby, and many NCT parents end up hanging out with each other and their kids long after the courses are over. But if you're a first-time parent , or you live in an area where you don't have a strong support network of family and friends, it can be invaluable, and as the NCT is a charity, they do offer reductions in fees depending on your circumstances.
However, you'll need to act fast. Though most courses won't take place until the last couple of months of your pregnancy, they fill up fast. If you're interested in booking an NCT course, start looking into this right after your week scan. I didn't realise how quickly I needed to act, and when I finally came to book mine at 16 weeks, I snagged the last spot on the course!
If your partner is unable to attend one of the sessions, then you are more than welcome to attend on your own or bring a friend or relative with you for support. Please do speak to your NCT Practitioner at the start of the course and she will be able to advise you what will be discussed during that session.
Where possible, she may be able to cover important issues that are relevant to you both at another session. No, it is not normally possible to attend a missed session on an alternative course.
Even though our courses cover the same information, each course is tailored to the individual needs of those who attend. Therefore, it would not be possible to find a session on an alternative course that would cover exactly the same information. We are also restricted on the maximum number of attendees on each of our courses, therefore we are unable to hold a place for you on an alternative course, just to attend one session.
We do not offer a discount off the course fee, if you know in advance that you will miss one of the sessions. To ensure that you get the most out of your course, we do suggest that you select a course where you can attend all of the sessions.
Please do speak to your NCT course Practitioner and she will be able to let you know what was discussed on the session that you were unable to attend. We have set the courses up in this way based on experience and feedback from past course attendees. As a result we are unable to accommodate other siblings attending the sessions and there are no childcare facilities at our venues.
The number of couples on a course can vary from course to course and is dependent on the size of the venue. This can range from couples, but is commonly between 6 - 8 couples.
Unless otherwise stated, our breastfeeding sessions are for both you and your partner. There are a few courses which run women only follow up sessions, but these will be indicated accordingly on the course information.
Our courses are a set price for you to attend with a birth partner. We are unable to offer a discount if you choose to come on your own. Unless otherwise advised on your confirmation email or by your NCT Practitioner, please bring a packed lunch with you for full day sessions. You do not need to bring anything with you for the course, unless you wish to make notes during it. All our practitioners complete a university-accredited course before delivering NCT courses.
They are fully licensed, quality assured and experienced in preparing you and your partner - both physically and emotionally - for the arrival of your baby. If you have any specific medical questions about your baby or your pregnancy, then we advise that you contact your GP or midwife directly. If your baby arrives before or during the course, we offer a pro-rata refund. Please contact your local Course Booking Administrator as soon as you can to let them know. Antenatal classes are also a good way to make friends with other parents who are expecting babies around the same time as you.
These friendships can help you through the first few months with your baby. Think about what you hope to gain from antenatal classes so you can find the sort of class that suits you best. Places in antenatal classes can get booked up early. It's a good idea to start making enquiries early in pregnancy so you can secure a place in the class that you choose. You can attend more than 1 class. To find out about classes near you, ask your midwife, health visitor or GP.
NHS antenatal classes are free.
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