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NHS vs NCT and other private antenatal classes
Antenatal classes can help to prepare you for birth and parenthood. Discover the differences between free NHS classes and paid-for antenatal groups, plus how to find local courses
In this article
- Compare antenatal classes: NHS, NCT, Bump and Baby Club, and Happy Parents Happy Baby
- NHS antenatal classes
- NCT antenatal classes
- Bump and Baby Club antenatal classes
- Happy Parents Happy Baby
- Other private antenatal classes
- Online antenatal classes
- Are private antenatal classes worth the money?
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.
Compare antenatal classes: NHS, NCT, Bump and Baby Club, and Happy Parents Happy Baby
| Class provider | Cost | What's included in the class | Additional extras (free and paid-for) | How and when to book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NHS | Free | A single two-hour session or series of classes over several weeks. Held either in-person or online - check locally. Classes are usually run in hospitals or children's centres by NHS midwives. If you can't go, speak to your midwife. | Introductory classes on baby care and special antenatal classes if you're expecting multiples may be offered. If you're single, a teenager, or if English isn't your first language, there may be set classes available to you. | Ask your midwife, health visitor or GP, or search for your local NHS antenatal class online. Classes start at 30-32 weeks or as early as 24 weeks for multiples. |
| NCT | In-person or mixed-format classes from £269. Online from £199. Interest-free instalments available. Discounts up to 80% depending on income, plus concessions for emergency services and NHS workers. | In-person: 15 hours of classes (three longer or six shorter sessions). Mixed-format: four in-person classes and one online. Online: 15.5 hours of classes (6 Zoom sessions). Price includes online parent hub, one breastfeeding session, two-hour social gathering and a two-hour postnatal support session with course leader. | Other paid-for NCT courses include new baby course, introducing solid foods workshop, first aid, yoga for pregnancy, mother and baby yoga, baby massage, antenatal refresher course and doula services. | Book NCT courses and workshops online. Classes start around 28 weeks. |
| Bump and Baby Club | From £185 up to £260, depending on where you live. Concessions for NHS workers. | 10 hours of in-person classes (five two-hour sessions). Price includes pre-recorded online hypnobirthing course, baby first-aid, access to The Bumplet guide, support from the experts for the first few months post-birth and a get-together at a local pub with a drink on the Club. | Bump and Baby Club occasionally host bespoke, pregnancy-friendly events, including supper clubs and sunset pregnancy yoga | Use the Bump and Baby Club's booking service to find a location. Classes start at 28-32 weeks of pregnancy. |
| Happy Parents Happy Baby | In-person antenatal classes from £199. Online antenatal course is £59. 20% discount for single-parent families (you're welcome to bring a birth partner to sessions). | In person: 18 hours of teaching (two-hour sessions over six weeks). Price includes in-person sessions with other parents-to-be, four hours of dedicated social time, in-person hypnobirthing and baby first aid sessions, different specialists each week, live online Q&A session and a bank of support videos. | Other paid-for Happy Parents Happy Baby courses include VIP classes tailored to your exact requirements, grandparents antenatal classes, baby first aid, weaning and refresher antenatal classes. | Book Happy Parents Happy Baby online. Classes start from 25 weeks. |
Table notes: Prices and class information are correct as of October 2024.
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NHS antenatal classes
What do NHS antenatal classes cover?
The number of different antenatal classes offered to you will depend on what's available in your area, but they're intended to be 'informative and fun', with topics including:
- Preparing for labour and birth, including how to cope with it and how to help yourself.
- Relaxation techniques and healthy lifestyle advice, such as exercise and healthy eating.
- Information about pain relief and different kinds of births, including interventions in labour such as forceps or vacuum delivery.
- How to care for your baby, such as planning and managing their feeding.
- Advice on emotional health, including emotions and feelings during pregnancy, birth and after.
- An opportunity to see the maternity facilities. As well as a tour of the unit, you might also get to meet some of the people who'll be looking after you during labour and birth.
The NHS says antenatal classes are also a good way to make friends with others expecting babies around the same time as you.
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NCT antenatal classes
What do NCT antenatal classes cover?
The NCT is a registered charity, and its antenatal classes cover various aspects of pregnancy health, labour and postnatal care, including:
- Planning for a positive birth experience. This includes 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. Night feeds, breastfeeding and where to get support.
- Wellbeing before and after birth, 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 after your course has finished.
The NCT also has a suite of low-cost or free-to-access services, including an infant feeding helpline, free Baby Café drop-ins led by an NCT breastfeeding counsellor, plus local activities such as Walk & Talk sessions and Bumps & Babies events for little ones and parents, too.
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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 the 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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Happy Parents Happy Baby
What do Happy Parents Happy Baby classes cover?
- Preparing for birth, including info on vaginal and caesarean births, writing your birth preferences, packing your hospital bag and recognising the signs of labour.
- Hypnobirthing, with practical tips on entering birth with a positive mindset, breathing and relaxation techniques and creating your ideal birth environment.
- Practical baby care. Helping you to practise skills needed to care for your new baby, including settling them, safe sleep advice, plus tips on feeding, washing and changing nappies.
- Baby first aid and self-care. Learning skills to cope with emergencies such as choking, burns, febrile seizure and meningitis, as well as advice on recovery from birth and adapting to new parenting.
Founded by doctors Francesca and Will Dooley, the in-person course consists of 18 hours of teaching. Within each weekly two-hour session a specialist such as an obstetrician, paediatrician or physiotherapist will attend to share their expertise with the group.
You also get four hours of dedicated social time on top of teaching sessions so you can forge those all-important relationships with other parents-to-be.
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, Bump and Baby Club and Happy Parents Happy Baby, there may be other options local to you, so check with your midwife 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.
Online antenatal classes
As well as offering in-person classes, companies including the NCT and Happy Parents Happy Baby have online courses, too.
Other providers focus solely on their online offering including NowBaby, which has provided screens in antenatal clinics for more than 20 years and now runs paid-for, live-streamed antenatal courses with NHS midwives for up to 15 other mums.
This format could be ideal if you live somewhere remote, don't have time to go in person (for example, if you travel for work) or would rather just attend from the comfort of your own home.
They also tend to be cheaper than in-person courses (NowBaby's course is £99) but still give you the chance to get to know other parents-to-be at the same stage of pregnancy as you.
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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