How to choose your antenatal course
Choosing which antenatal course to book can be very difficult. There is so much information out there these days and all your friends will tell you what they think you should do so it gets very confusing!
Until recently, the NCT has been the default provider of antenatal courses but that is starting to change.
Is NCT worth the money?
MumsNet and MSE threads are full of expectant women asking if NCT is really worth the money. Surely it’s a lot to pay for just some new parent friends! (around £300 in Dorking!)
Women want more from their antenatal education. And so they should!
Just read about this couple’s journey to setting up their own antenatal business as an alternative to NCT after they didn’t have the information or support they needed once their baby arrived.
Why choose an alternative to NCT?
More expectant mum’s have heard of hypnobirthing and want to understand it. The NCT does not include hypnobirthing.
Mums-to-be want to choose how to feed their baby. NCT does not support formula feeding so doesn’t teach how to use formula and bottle feed your baby. They won’t even use images of baby bottles in their material - I know I used to edit the Dorking NCT newsletter.
In 2018 the Royal College of Midwives offered new guidance to say women who choose to bottle fed should also be supported:
“anybody supporting women needs to give them support to bottle feed safely, if that’s what they decide to do.” Royal College of Midwives
Women want to feel supported and to build a rapport with their antenatal teacher. With NCT you don’t get to connect with your teacher before the course and support isn’t always ongoing.
Parents-to-be want to know exactly what they are going to get in their antenatal classes. With NCT the details of the course often vary by teacher and participants’ questions.
Why you should choose Birth & More as your alternative to NCT:
As founder and instructor you will get to know me before classes start and have on-going personalised support from me for however long you need. You can even have a nosey at my Instagram account now!
As an antenatal teacher, hypnobirthing teacher, pregnancy & postnatal yoga teacher and breastfeeding practitioner I can offer more than NCT can!
I host relaxed mum-to-be socials so you can have fun meeting other local expectant mums even outside of classes as these are open to anyone to book
I teach up-to-date antenatal education AND powerful hypnobirthing techniques so you get both on my group antenatal courses or 121 online classes - no need to book two courses!
My job as your teacher is to provide you with accurate information so you can make informed choices that are right for you and your family - judgement-free
Staying mobile makes such a difference to the length and comfort of your labour which is why I teach pregnancy yoga and yoga for birth in my antenatal courses
I teach how to bottle feed your baby and pumping tips in my practical breastfeeding workshops
I actively include birth partners as their role is instrumental
I also teach baby classes and postnatal yoga so you’ll know where to come when you’re ready to socialise and grow your mum tribe!
I would also stress that whilst it is good to meet other expectant parents you will have lots of ways to grow your new mum tribe after your baby is here. I could put you in a class of 100 expectant couples and you may not connect with any or find none of you are still in touch once you return to work.
The memory of a positive birth experience will stay with you forever.
Birth & More antenatal and hypnobirthing classes are the ultimate birth preparation course.