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NHS vs NCT and other private antenatal classes
Antenatal classes can be a lifesaver when navigating the often confusing world of pregnancy, birth and caring for a new baby. They're also a way for parents-to-be to meet others preparing for new parenthood.
Whether it's private or NHS, book from 12 weeks pregnant if you can to get the class you really want – even though your classes won't begin until you're around 30-32 weeks pregnant (or earlier if you're expecting twins or more).
Keep scrolling to find out what to expect from antenatal classes, including how much you might need to pay, who'll be hosting them, how you go about signing up and whether they're worth shelling out money for.
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Compare antenatal classes: NHS, NCT and Bump and Baby Club
| Class provider | Cost | Number of classes and when they start | Additional extras (free and paid for) | How to find courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS | Free | A single two-hour session or a series of classes over several weeks, held either in-person or virtually. Start at around 30-32 weeks pregnant (or as early as 24 weeks for multiple births). | Varies locally but may include talks on pain relief by an anaesthetist and home birth workshops. | Ask your midwife or search for your local NHS antenatal class online. |
| NCT | From £199 for online courses and £269 for in-person/mixed-format courses (depending on area). Interest-free instalments available depending on how soon before your birth you book. Discounts of between 20-80% depending on your income | 15 hours of in-person classes (3 longer or 6 shorter sessions) or mixed-format classes (4 in-person sessions plus 1 online). 15.5 hours for totally online course (6 Zoom sessions). 2-hour social gathering also included. Start around 28 weeks onwards to finish 3-4 weeks before your baby is due. | Optional NCT courses include Baby First Aid, New Baby course, Mother and Baby Yoga, Introducing Solid Foods workshop, Doula services and Baby Massage. | Book NCT courses and workshops online. |
| Bump and Baby Club | From £185 up to £260, depending on where you live. Concessions for NHS workers | 10 hours of classes (five x 2-hour sessions) plus social get-together. Start between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy. | Price includes a hypnobirthing course, baby first-aid training, access to The Bumplet guide plus continued support from the experts for the first few months post-birth. Free get-together at a local pub with a drink on the Club before the babies arrive. | Secure your spot using the Bump and Baby Club's booking service. |
Table notes: Prices and class information are correct as of January 2024.
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NHS antenatal classes
What do NHS antenatal classes cover?
- Coping with labour and birth.
- Relaxation techniques and healthy lifestyle advice, including exercise, healthy eating and emotional health.
- Information about pain relief and different kinds of births, including inductions and interventions in labour including forceps or vacuum delivery.
- You may also be given a tour of the maternity unit (in-person courses tend to be held in hospitals or children's centres and are generally run by NHS midwives.
Depending on your trust, your course could be a single two-hour in-person session or possibly a series of classes over several weeks, held on weekdays, evenings, weekends or even online.
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NCT antenatal classes
What do NCT antenatal classes cover?
As well as giving prospective parents time to connect with each other, NCT classes cover various aspects of pregnancy health, labour and afterbirth care including:
- Planning for a positive birth experience, running through labour and birth options, pain management and what happens after the birth.
- Getting to know and caring for your baby, for example, understanding your baby's cues and what your baby's nappy tells you.
- Feeding your baby, covering night feeds, breastfeeding and where to get support.
- Wellbeing before and after birth, with topics such as adjusting to family life and coping with lack of sleep.
- Your family, relationships and finding support, for example, becoming a parent, accessing help and support and negotiating advice from peers, family and friends.
- A two-hour postnatal reunion session is included in the price and you'll also have access to the NCT Parent Hub digital content platform for useful information after your course has finished.
Classes are run by people who have trained and qualified to be antenatal practitioners at university level, are licensed by the NCT and receive continued professional development.
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Bump and Baby Club antenatal classes
What do Bump and Baby Club antenatal classes cover?
- Labour, birth and baby-care, including when to call the midwife or go to hospital, types of birth including C-section and home birth, the role of a birth partner and how to deal with stitches.
- Breastfeeding and bottle feeding, such as establishing a good milk supply, recognising your baby's feeding cues and advice on bottle and formula feeding.
- Baby first-aid with important information about what to do if your baby is unconscious, not breathing, is choking or has a febrile convulsion, incorporating hands-on practice with resuscitation mannequins.
- Hypnobirthing in the form of a pre-recorded hypnobirthing course (included in the price and the only element of the course that isn't in person).
- Continued support with experts available to answer your questions for the first few months after the birth.
Bump and Baby Club offers 'sociable antenatal classes' held in relaxed venues including private clubs, pubs and hotels, with antenatal teachers who tend to be practising midwives.
In your class there'll be a maximum of 10 pairs of expectant couples whose due dates are roughly within four weeks of each other, and who you'll be put in contact with in advance of your first class so you can start connecting.
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Are private antenatal classes worth the money?
Independent research by Which? suggests that parents-to-be think that paying for private antenatal classes is worth it.
We surveyed 2,004 parents in February 2022 with a child under five years and 20% of them had paid for their antenatal classes.
Almost all of them (91%) found them useful, while only 8% said they weren't useful.
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Other private antenatal classes
Depending on where you live, there may be many different private antenatal classes to choose from, with different approaches to birth and parenthood.
- Antenatal classes for all parents In addition to NCT and the Baby and Bump Club, The Daisy Foundation runs antenatal education courses in many parts of the UK. There are also other local options, so check with your midwife to see if they know of any classes in your area. Or visit Happity, a platform for finding bump, baby and toddler classes.
- Partners’ antenatal classes In some areas there are classes specifically for partners/birth partners. Some expectant parents find these very useful as they can raise questions and concerns – and make friends – with other people in the same position as them.
- Birth techniques Some private classes focus more on specific techniques, such as hypnobirthing, to help you cope with labour.
- Pregnancy exercise While you can exercise mostly as normal when you’re pregnant, many expectant parents enjoy classes that have been designed specifically with pregnant bodies in mind, such as pregnancy yoga, Pilates and water aerobics.
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