Supporting
you to become the parent you want to be
Brighton and Hove branch
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Brighton and Hove branch |
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Antenatal
Classes - frequently asked questions What are the classes all about? Our aim is to
prepare you for your pregnancy, labour and early parenthood so that you can look
forward to your baby’s birth with confidence and understanding. We currently
offer 3 types of courses. 1.
Early
Bird Information Classes – This
class is specifically for parents from conception to about 26 weeks into their
pregnancy. The two or three hour session is designed to provide you with
information you need/want to know at this stage of your pregnancy. The
class are small and informal and the topics discussed are open to you. The
most popular topics we have covered include care of your back & pelvic
floor, options for where to have your baby, pregnancy discomforts and antenatal
care. 2.
Antenatal Courses - Our classes are aimed
at the expectant mother and her birth partner and provide support, practical
skills and information about the choices available. They are designed to help
prepare for labour, birth and early parenthood in a friendly and informal
atmosphere. The classes prepare you for the different types of birth, be it in
hospital, a birthing centre, at home or even in the car on the way to hospital!
They also enable you to form a support network of like-minded people post birth.
3.
Early Day
Courses - Led
by an NCT trained Postnatal Leader these 5 or 6 week ‘Early Days’ course are
designed to support you to be the parent you want to be. The groups provide a
relaxed, friendly and supportive atmosphere in which to openly talk about your
life as a mum. It is a chance to put YOU first; to discuss your hopes and fears,
to gather ideas to help meet the challenges, to celebrate the successes and
reconcile your expectations with reality. “I
learnt things from the other mums that you couldn’t read in books – it
helped me to realise that I am normal” You
will get to meet other mums with babies of similar age; make friends, have a
laugh, develop new ideas, gain support and encouragement and have a hot drink!
The Postnatal Leader will encourage you and others in the group to share ideas
and experiences so that you can support each other, whilst learning about your
skills as a parent, she will not act as an expert or dispense advice, but will
help YOU to decide what is best for your baby, yourself and your family. “I
discovered that there is no single right or wrong way to look after a baby,
babies are all so different, this helped me to have confidence in myself and
trust my instincts” Issues
covered may include:
"My
life had changed dramatically and it really helped to talk about it and find
that others felt the same.” Who teaches
the classes? All courses
are taught by qualified NCT trained antenatal teachers, breastfeeding
counsellors and postnatal leaders. Some
trainee teachers and counsellors can also take the classes. How long
are the courses and how are they organised? The length
and duration of classes varies according to the teacher, location, and number of
attendees. Antenatal
courses will last between 16 – 20
hours, and always includes a dedicated breastfeeding session and a postnatal
reunion. The exact split of the hours depends on the teachers availability but
may be split into two hour sessions spread over a number of weeks, or in a
larger block of time spread over a couple of days and some evenings. When do the
classes happen?
Early Bird
Classes are designed for anyone from conception to 25 weeks pregnancy. Antenatal
Courses generally start 4-8 weeks before your due date, aiming to finish around
3 weeks before your due date. Where are
the classes held? We
currently teach in Portslade, West Hove, central Hove, the North Laines,
Hanover, Patcham and Woodingdean. We
teach a minimum of 8 coures a month one of which will be a refresher course.
What do the
classes cost? The classes
cost £139 for the mum to be and birth partner. Do I need
to be a member of the NCT to get a place on a course? Membership is not compulsory. However, we encourage all course participants to become members of the NCT this helps the valuable work of the charity in campaigning for improvements to maternity and paternity services. Members are also encouraged to become volunteers helping at local, regional or national levels and training is available. Membership page I have a
low income; can I get any help with the course fees? We offer
large discounts (up to 90%) for people on low incomes(under 25k) or in receipt
of certain benefits and it is also possible to pay by installments. please contact your booking administrator in the strictest
confidence. Cancellation policy Should you
wish to cancel your place prior to starting the course, please let us know with
as much notice as possible. A £30
administration fee is usually deducted. How many
people will be in the class? The class
size tends to be between 5 and 7 couples. We keep our groups
small to allow lots of time for your questions. What are my chances of getting a place on a course? Very
good. We run a minimum of 8 courses
every month and will always set up more courses if needed. Please be
aware that not all of the classes are evening based, you may also need to be
available to attend daytime classes, both in the week and on a weekend. Please Note:
Pregnant employees are entitled to paid time off work to attend antenatal
classes. You can find more information here –
http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file18061.pdf
How do I check availability of courses? It is always sensible to enquire as early as
possible to get the best choice of courses. We now put
all available places on the NCT National website. Visit www.nct.org.uk and type in your postcode and due
date to get a list of suitable classes. Once you have decided which course suits
you best you should register
you interest against that course by completing the registration form with
the course listing. This will be sent automatically to our antenatal class
administrator who will reserve you a place and send you a full information pack.
If you cannot
find a suitable class then please contact our antenatal class administrator on
0844 243 6914 or by emailing n_thackeray@nct.org.uk What
happens if I can’t find a suitable course?
We usually
always have some course places available so do get in touch and we can search
our systems for you. Although you
may not have much choice of course type. If
we don’t have anyh places available we will put you on a waiting list and if
there is a high enough demand we will set up another course.
If the demand is not high enough we will offer you a one on one session.
The main thing is to book as early as possible. Do I need
to take the NHS classes? The NCT
antenatal classes can be taken instead of, or in addition to any NHS classes
that you will be offered by your midwife. Your midwife
should give you the booking details at around 20 weeks or you can phone the
hospital. Do I need
to have a partner to bring to the classes? Most people
do the course as a couple although you are welcome to come alone or bring a
friend or relative that will be assisting you through labour. If your partner is
attending the course with you, you will get most benefit if they attend all the
sessions. I’m
having twins (or more!) can I get a place on a course? Yes – we
offer dedicate multiple birth courses. Or
if you prefer you can attend one of our standard courses.
although you will probably find that the rest of the class will be
expecting one baby! We will also put you onto a course with people due a month
earlier than you to take into account a probable early delivery. I’m
having my second, third, fifteenth baby, is there a refresher course? We
run a refresher courses every month.
The
focus is on preparing for this birth, the change of family dynamics and how to
introduce your new addition into the family.
These classes are 14 hour and include a dedicated breastfeeding class.
They cost £107. We’re sorry but other children can not attend
refresher classes. We also
organise "tea groups" for people having a second, third, fourth
etc baby who would like to meet others in a similar situation but are not
interested in attending courses. Please email ???to find out more information. When can I
apply? It is
advisable to book early as possible. That
way you can choose the most suitable course for you. Places are allocated on a
first come first served basis. How do I
sign up for classes?
Details of
all NCT classes can be found at www.nct.org.uk Or you can
contact our bookings administrator by emailing booking4o@nct.org.uk
or calling 0844 243 6914 or completing
this form When will I
hear if I've got a place on the course? Our bookings Administrator works part time so please allow up to 7 days
for her to return your call or answer your email. Details of
our classes can also be found on our national website – www.nct.org.
"Our antenatal teachers, breastfeeding counsellors and postnatal leaders undergo a thorough training with the NCT although they are not required to be medically qualified. All teachers, counsellors and leaders are expected to keep up to date with the latest developments in maternity care and must register with us every year. Their role is to offer support, information, practical skills and resources to help parents make informed choices for themselves and their babies. They do not offer medical advice and parents are asked to take any questions about the medical care of mother and baby to their midwife, health visitor or doctor."
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