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

[Larkspur]

did he have insurance cos you know, ypu can be sued for ruining someones day by taking crap pictures!!

Geez, I wonder if you can be sued for ruining someone's day by barging in and trying to sell them stuff moments after they've squeezed a baby out of their body?

 

[WelshOneEmma]

Wow some of these stories are shocking. Horrible experiences that never should have happened.

I was never given the bounty pack from labour ward or delivery suite and never saw a rep. I think the only thing i used from the 2 packs I did receive is the small pot of sudocream.

 

[AP]

Hayz_baby I did complain, all I got was a one sentence email saying my name and details had been removed from their mailing list. Made no difference seeing as my details were SOLD my main concern was what if that happened in a different scenario? Indeed it has, to Tasha and Lexi and that's not on.

 

[hayz_baby]

Hayz_baby I did complain, all I got was a one sentence email saying my name and details had been removed from their mailing list. Made no difference seeing as my details were SOLD my main concern was what if that happened in a different scenario? Indeed it has, to Tasha and Lexi and that's not on.

No it is defo not on at all! It's a shame they didn't handle your complaint well at all it isn't right that they do this to some women who are at such a vulnerable time of their lives. I guess volumes speak and maybe more people should complain. The more this happens the better the outcome would b.mayb also complaining to the hospital for not doing a job of instructing those who reps should defo not see.

I dunno I guess I'm trying to come up with a magic answer as I never really realised how bad this is. I guess all I can say to ladies who are not happy is complain, the more people who do it the more they will HAVE to listen.

 

[vickytoria88]

The bounty lady at mine just gave me the pack, asked how I was and off she went, no photo, no pressure.

 

[Tasha]

No I didn't complain. I should of, but I had no strength to get through the days let alone complain about the bounty lady.

It doesn't surprise me that complaints are low because well people are trying to get themselves together after having a baby, they may be emotional, they may not be sleeping, there may be other problems like feeding issues, they may be physically healing. Then there is the issue of who you complain to, it is not like if a mw annoyed you, you could simply go up to a more senior mw, so some people just wont know where to complain either.

And besides the above, I think to a degree that Bounty have been in hospitals so long now, that people sort of expect the bad treatment. Like a sort of oh yeah I had that experience too but it is just how bounty is. I think what I am trying to say is, people think they HAVE to put up with poor treatment from Bounty. Not sure if that makes sense, but in my head it does.

 

[Creative]

Wow some of these stories are shocking. Horrible experiences that never should have happened.

I was never given the bounty pack from labour ward or delivery suite and never saw a rep. I think the only thing i used from the 2 packs I did receive is the small pot of sudocream.

I got the same small pot of sudocream in the bounty packs with my eldest child and subsequent children. It was so useful and I refilled it constantly to carry in my nappy bag. I was so glad to see it still included.

 

[kimberleyrobx]

Same here! They came round asking if i wanted LO's photo's taken so of course i said yes... little did i know they wanted £50 from me for the photos! Photos arrived through the post along with a bill! Was i hell paying that!

 

[Mummy Bean]

never saw one. only got the pack at first ever midwife app.

i agree they should be given a room/desk where ppl can go see them if they want to...not being bombarded.

 

[bumpbear]

I had my LO in NY and used the hospital photographer who did come round asking if we'd like snaps done. I'm glad we did because we got some lovely ones of DH and I with LO. You get so carried away taking pics of LO that you forget about taking family snaps so the hospital is the only one of the three of us til she was a few months old! The pics set us back $300 (we ended up going for a CD with all the edited and non edited photos that we can print off at will)

We got a rather posh version of the bounty pack too which included a full size bottle of coco Chanel perfume, a Chanel lipstick, eyeshadow, face cream and a Ralph Lauren onesie for the baby. I was rather impressed til I realised why US medical bills are so blinkin high!

The nurses also filled up a few large carrier bags with free diapers, formula and toiletries for the baby and nipple creams, nursing pads, squirt bottles, witch hazel pads, and a sitz bath for me! I haven't had to buy any nipple cream myself and I've been EBF for 14 months!

 

[bumpbear]

Lexi and Tasha, your stories are heart wrenching and I'm so shocked something like that could happen on a hospital ward.

 

[dozydormouse]

The Bounty Lady that came round when I was in wasn't too bad herself, but it's the whole thing I'm annoyed about.

I had literally no idea what Bounty was about beforehand, DD being my first child. Tired, sore and emotional, I was handed a pack of stuff and asked for my details. In a befuddled state, I just gave them over, without asking or even thinking what they'd be for. Now having to unsubscribe from various junk mailings I didn't know I'd get.

I thought the lady was something to do with the hospital. She seemed to have some sort of uniform on and came round with her trolley in the same way as the nurses with their drugs trolleys! When you've put yourself in the hands of the professionals and trust the hospital to take care of you, you don't expect to then be taken advantage of!

Thankfully, the first time she came round, I was eating so she said she'd come back later. The second time, my DH was there, so I felt more confident about saying no to photos, although I wish I hadn't given her my details now.

 

[dozydormouse]

My condolences to the poor ladies who were hassled after losing little ones - that's horrible

 

[dozydormouse]

(Oh, and one of the reasons I was quite so ignorant about Bounty? Despite me having been in hospital for 2 days before labour, being induced, no-one at the hospital told me what it was about. Parents should definitely be informed and be able to say if they even want to be approached or not. After all, you normally get asked, or should be, if you're ok with a medical student observing or helping with consultations.)

 

[hayz_baby]

No I didn't complain. I should of, but I had no strength to get through the days let alone complain about the bounty lady.

It doesn't surprise me that complaints are low because well people are trying to get themselves together after having a baby, they may be emotional, they may not be sleeping, there may be other problems like feeding issues, they may be physically healing. Then there is the issue of who you complain to, it is not like if a mw annoyed you, you could simply go up to a more senior mw, so some people just wont know where to complain either.

And besides the above, I think to a degree that Bounty have been in hospitals so long now, that people sort of expect the bad treatment. Like a sort of oh yeah I had that experience too but it is just how bounty is. I think what I am trying to say is, people think they HAVE to put up with poor treatment from Bounty. Not sure if that makes sense, but in my head it does.

Totally understood all of that, I get tht it must b hard and let's face it, that last thing anyone ways to do.
Maybe pals would help? U know they should b directing the bounty reps to the correct people at the correct time iykwim.
It's just not acceptable and we SHOULDN'T just accept it! Xx

 

[randomrach]

Wow some of these stories are shocking. Horrible experiences that never should have happened.

I was never given the bounty pack from labour ward or delivery suite and never saw a rep. I think the only thing i used from the 2 packs I did receive is the small pot of sudocream.

I got the same small pot of sudocream in the bounty packs with my eldest child and subsequent children. It was so useful and I refilled it constantly to carry in my nappy bag. I was so glad to see it still included.

Mine had a small sudocrem, cussons baby bath and toothpaste, a bounty mag and child benefit forms. Nothing worth a whole lot. They're probably making a nice profit selling your details. Let's face it, it's nice getting the little freebies but most of us would rather be left alone to recover. I don't see why these reps are even necessary, the packs could be left on the bed/ chair for the ladies to take. I wouldn't pay £80 for a usb full of semi-pro photos that I couldn't get printed by anyone else but bounty/snapfish. That's a bit of a rip off.

 

[Feronia]

Wow, I haven't heard of this before but it sounds absolutely horrible and corrupt. Lexi and Tasha, I am so sorry you had to deal with that. How utterly insensitive...

I have to say, I would have gone apeshit at someone who tried to harass me at a vulnerable time like that. No amount of free baby items is worth that. The ones they're giving sound totally not worth losing your privacy and personal information over.

 

[PepsiChic]

we have BellaBaby photography for the hospitals here in the St Louis MO area. They come in a few hours after the birth, ask if you want photos, set up a time to come back during your stay at the hospital and leave.

with Barry we had the photos done but decided we didnt like them so didnt buy any. with Connor we just straight up said no thankyou.

They were very polite friendly, not pushy, very patient, they seemed to alot a lot of time to your visit so it wasnt rushed at all. - just a shame the photo quality didnt match the prices

 

[Sarahkka]

Another Canadian voice expressing absolute astonishment that this is allowed in a publicly funded hospital! The visiting restrictions in our hospitals in Alberta are very strict, so no way would sales reps get in the L&D floors.
This sounds so sleazy and invasive. I am shocked that something like this is allowed.

 

[Foogirl]

Bounty should never be allowed onto a unit. Some of the ways mothers are treated is unforgivable. Our hopsital allows Bounty on to a ward, but not myself, a family support volunteer for Bliss, the special care baby charity. It really pisses me off.