Calls to ban Bounty in maternity wards - let's hope!!

[Louisa N]

The bounty rep at my hospital had her own desk near the door to the ward and we were told if we wanted pictures to go and book a time with her, so no hard sell.
However when we were having our 2nd childs pics taken she took a shine to my husband and was trying to get him to have some pics taken with the baby, saying she thought he was very photogenic. He was getting embarrassed and said later he felt bad for me having to put up with that. He felt like saying to her 'excuse me but I have a wife! she's just given birth'.

 

[AP]

I hate them. With my last baby, Joshua died just after midnight at 13 hours old, had a sign on my door saying no one to enter without permission from ward manager. She barged in and demanded to know where baby was so she could take his photo. Not impressed doesn't even cover it. This time they came 3 times, twice when I was eating my lunch (so much for protected meal times) so my food went cold, 3rd when I was trying to feed. Pushy sales reps shouldn't be allowed onto a hospital ward x

That is absolutely awful hun I'm so sorry

This is exactly why I made a complaint about Bounty, Lexi. xxxx And your most recent experience is out of order.

I never ever recieved an apology. The photographer stormed in squealing "photograph time!!". Yeah, great, shes in intensive care, go take a pretty picture. My in laws looked at her in horror.

It's not just about the photographers, but the whole thing. People are duped into the whole "freebies" thing. They arent free - your details are sold to 3rd parties. When you get home from the hospital, good luck to you if you gave them your details, because you'll have cold calling from not just Bounty itself but other marketing comapnies.

And I'm sure some of you might turn round and say "oh, but I gave them false details". But not everyone does. And really, giving false details, is it really worth that sudocrem sample?

One of my good friends who represents Bliss.org told me that , did you know, Bliss are not allowed to send in anyone to support those who have babies in NICU, but these marketing people are allowed?

Its madness. i remember my mum telling me when she had my little sister about all the "free" things she got from the hospital. Back then I had no children, no idea about Bounty, but my mum thought this was brilliant that she was provided with what she thought was some kind of starter kit

People may not have an opinion on it, but it is important to get behind it to help protect other mothers from the stories that we have heard here.

 

[cupcaker]

I missed all this. she came round when I was feeding him and said she'd come back. She just said "photos?" at me, I didn't know wtf this bounty lark was all about so said yes. Fortunately she didn't come back by the time I was discharged. I didn't even get the bounty pack. How much do they charge for the pics in the UK and where do they take the pics?!?!!

 

[summer rain]

They are banned from my local NHS trust, and this includes marketing to pregnant women and the leaflets for the weaning packs etc not being allowed in Dr's surgeries and other health centres, all other 'baby club' stuff is banned too. However I had my youngest at a hospital in a neighbouring NHS trust area and bounty aren't banned from there though they are no longer allowed to offer the photography service. When I had second youngest I filled in the bare minimum details on the form but this time the rep was hovering over the ladies making sure they filled in all their details and they were 100% correct. I refused the pack and the rep nearly fell over in shock xx

 

[ellie27]

My LOs are 3.5 yrs old and 19 months old.

They came round the Glasgow hospital we were in, but I said no to any photos without any problems, I gave them my details and got the free packs with some useful samples in it.

I have not been contacted in any way about anything so I am happy with how it went for us, but reading here some of the situations are awful and I hope something is done!

 

[happymummax]

When I had my LO I asked for her to come and take pictures! She was lovely Nd watched over my LO whilst I had lunch.

Some of these stories though, it's not acceptable I guess I was just lucky!

I get no cold calls from any 3rd parties from bounty but I do Emma's diary xx

 

[No1showgirl]

Ixx

 

[Twister]

Also the way they act like the only way you can get the child benefit forms is by getting the pack is very deceitful.

I really hope they are banned, or at the very least the hospitals should give parents the option to opt in/out. I had read about the bounty lady on here but completely forgot about it once i'd had LO and wasn't expecting it You wouldn't expect people to stop by your house unexpectedly after having a baby so why is this any different?

 

[AP]

I really hope they are banned, or at the very least the hospitals should give parents the option to opt in/out. I had read about the bounty lady on here but completely forgot about it once i'd had LO and wasn't expecting it You wouldn't expect people to stop by your house unexpectedly after having a baby so why is this any different?

Exactly... some of them even come in before visiting hours, how is that even ok when in some places even siblings cant meet their new addition to the family?

 

[onetwothreebp]

I thought bounty hunter at first...

 

[babyjan]

I don't mind the bounty packs but I do get a lot of emails from them and other companies the women who took my name didn't even spell it properly lol

Actually now I remember her coming in within hours of giving birth and really wasn't in the mood to talk plus I was struggling with getting my baby to latch, I was tired, hungry and exhausted so yeah I can understand how there annoying. I didn't get his photo taken so that wasn't a problem.

Lexi, I'm really sorry about that

 

[purplespecs]

I really hope they are banned, or at the very least the hospitals should give parents the option to opt in/out. I had read about the bounty lady on here but completely forgot about it once i'd had LO and wasn't expecting it You wouldn't expect people to stop by your house unexpectedly after having a baby so why is this any different?

Exactly... some of them even come in before visiting hours, how is that even ok when in some places even siblings cant meet their new addition to the family?

This! I was still on delivery suite! I hadn't even made it to the ward

 

[Scottish mum]

I get at least two emails a day from them it pisses me off!!!! They are far too over the top and its very unprofessional especially when you've just had a baby and your being pestered x

 

[AP]

Yep funnily enough second time round it was in delivery, can I just say it wasn't the erm... Cleanest room after birth :/

 

[lozzy21]

I think it should be an opt in thing, you tell your MW when you get moved to the ward from delivery.

 

[LDC]

I had a really pleasant experience, did no one else?

The woman was lovely, came the day after I had lo, was really good with her and the pictures were great. It was before visiting hours and she told me she'd come back once I'd spoke to my husband about whether I wanted to buy anything (she left me with the prices).

I had time to chat to my husband and the photos were really lovely; we got 4 big pictures, 4 small ones, 3 key rings, 6 thank you cards, three picture cards for a wallet and a bauble for the Xmas tree (November baby) for £40 ish which I thought was really good.

I've never received emails, calls or junk mail off them either. I'd use them again.

X

 

[cococobain]

I thought bounty hunter at first...

Lol, I thought Bounty the chocolate bar.

Reading these stories, I really hope they either ban them from hospitals or give women the option beforehand. We don't have anything like that here. I was given a care package of sorts with freebies, but the midwife brought it on the day I was discharged and just said "Presents for the baby". If we had people barging in demanding details/pushing for photographs, I would have been livid. Sounds like such an incredibly insensitive thing to do during one of the most vulnerable times of a woman's life.

 

[ChelliBelle]

The girl that came to me was pleasant enough, but I really do think that you are not in the right emotional state to be "sold" pictures. How are you going to say no to the very first pictures of your child? Normally I wouldn't have gone for it, but hours after a very traumatic labour I didn't have the energy to say no!

I paid almost £50 for pictures that I could have done better myself with my phone. The only thing I used are the keyrings!

disappointed with the pictures to say the least and I emailed them to let them know- funny enough I didn't get a reply, however I had to laugh when I got an email with an offer to have my pictures put onto a photobook??

I now block the emails from them and/or associates.

I did like the freebies mind!!

 

[Twister]

Yeah that's what I find so wrong about it, the fact that a lot of women are tired, emotional and not thinking straight in the hours/days after birth and it seems wrong for them to have sales reps walking around the maternity wards trying to sell stuff. Even If they don't do it in a pushy way some women just don't have the confidence to say "please leave me alone".

 

[Clarabell543]

I had a emcs so i was in for a couple of days. She could see i was tired so offered to come back the following day.. she wasn't pushy and took some lovely photos that i couldn't have done so i wad grateful of them but i can see why people wouldn't want to be hassled and definately think there should be the option to request to have your little ones pics taken rather than being bombared. Also agree the junk mail is annoying!