to think that a Bounty photo salesperson has no place on a post natal ward?

[Boboli]

Is this the norm nationwide? At our hospital, one of the first people you'll see after you've given birth is a photographer from Bounty who will give you a sales pitch for photos of your newborn. The photos are not cheap and I find it pretty incredible that mums are approached hours after given birth when they are likely not quite in the state of mind to decide on pricy photo packages.

My SIL had the pleasure of this Bounty lady an hour after reaching the post natal ward in the morning having been in labour all night. She had to specifically insist that she did not want her baby woken and photographed.

When had DD1, no-one except birth partners were allowed on the wards because of the swine flu outbreak yet the Bounty lady made it through. In other words, she was allowed to my bedside but my mum wasn't. This can't be right, can it?

Hmmm... My rational side is saying that it is a massive intrusion, especially when you're still on the labour ward and that they should all just piss off...

BUT

The woman who came in just after I'd had DS was lovely, really kind and soothing. She took a lovely pic of DS, and it was a blessed relief that we had a ton of photos to send out to GPs & GGPs within a week (in the pre facebook days).

But on balance, yes, they should just fuck the fuck right off.

Ours werent bounty they were another (can't remember name ) but we're ok took no easily a d approached respectfully to awake mothers only! Expensive and crinkly but cute

YANBU. Most recent Bounty woman was intrusive and came in unnanounced, and looked pretty miserable about me not wanting a pack. Also had brusque, miserable photographer. You can see the ££ signs in their eyes.

Hard sell in hospital should definitely not be allowed. I bet no male wards ever have to encounter salespeople intruding?

And if it's to be allowed at all, a visit from a salesperson in hospital should be opt-in, you should not have them just turning up at your bedside.

Bounty never even tell you it's optional either, they just start quizzing you and writing down your personal details, and you obediently reply because you think it's compulsory

I found ours to be awfully insensitive. If a new Mummy is sobbing having been told DD is ill and off to SCBU don't go near!!!!!! Anyone know how to unsubscribe?

At Poole hospital the Bounty lady is in charge of giving out an important document too (it's a but hazy, I think the one you need to register the baby) she then takes your details and tries to photograph the baby . I politely said no and she seemed utterly shocked I wasn't up for it. Poor DD looked like an obese Chairman mao after having her hulking 10lb frame stuck face presentation in the birth canal for the previous few hours. Now, if she had been willing to get my catheter out as all the nurses were too busy, I would have signed mine and DDs lives away to bounty forever

The Bounty woman knocked open my curtain with her huge arse taking the photo of the baby in the next bay. Would have been fine except I was in the middle of my cathetar removal.

The nurse chased the stupid woman out of the ward and banned her from coming back during her shift.

Oh how the whole ward cheered!

The Bounty pack contains information on how to claim Child Benefit, but of course you can claim Child Benefit here without going anywhere near a Bounty pack.

And information on how to register a birth without the "help" of Bounty is here

I think it depends on the rep. The first lady I had with my first baby was lovely and took some nice pictures which we then purchased and framed as Christmas presents for grandparents. Second time round, my daughter was very badly bruised from birth canal so we didn't get photos taken and the rep was completely understanding and didnt push at all. On neither occasion did it bother me being approached as I genuinely was happy to have the photos taken.

That's it, child benefit! "let me just take some details and I'll give you your bounty pack with the form you need to claim child benefit"

well, mine flung the curtain open, and then said- "what, no baby?!". luckily (?) mine was in SCBU and was okay in the end, but for all she knew, something much worse could have happened. totally insensitive. i just sort of spluttered, "oh no, she's in SCBU". I also thought you needed the pack to get the child benefit form, wouldn't have given my details otherwise. and then when i got home, got constant phonecalls about buying books. very annoying when new born who never slept had only just settled!

so yes- ban them, or at least do not let them have free reign to wander through the wards, pulling open curtains etc.

I have some lovely pics of my DCs, taken by a very nice, polite ladies. They knocked and introduced themselves and when I said we were not ready for pic just then and asked if they could come back later.

I was v happy for them to take the pics later - the pics turned out lovely but it was explained to me that I didn't have to have them if I didn't like them and I was happy with that. In fact I was quite anxious that I didn't miss them for DD2 after being so pleased with the pics of DD1.

If these Bounty ladies are intruding then that is wrong but I don't have any problems with the polite and non pestering ones who take nice photos.

The bounty woman stuck her pinkie in my 1 day old dd's mouth to stop her crying long enough to take the photo, dd looks like she's just had a mouthful of lemon juice in her pictures.

And I paid for this

I'm especially furious about this as I'm convinced they've sold my details on - I suddenly started getting junk texts, calls and emails after giving the Bounty lady my details, which I've never had before.

Wouldn't have even given her my details except I had about 3 hours sleep following 24 hours in labour and an EMCS, and was hopped up on painkillers.

I think it's an obscene thing to do to vulnerable new mums.

No I found it intrusive and refused several requests for bounty photos.

DD was born with a missing limb (not detected on 20 week scan)

All morning myself and DH sat shellshocked (well I lay numb from neck down - epidural and a spinal block) with DD trying to find the words and time to phone our friends and family. It felt as if there was a revolving door to the room - numerous Drs, midwives, cleaner and yes the bounty lady. You think they would be told to steer clear for a bit.

DD's first official pics were taken by a paediatrician to email to various specialists.

Afterwards all my NCT friends had the pics and I felt like it was something else 'normal' i'd missed out on - like the tea and toast after labour or being told congratulations s/he's perfect (as I overhead the midwifes saying to the other new mums)

I refused their packs both times, it was amusing to see the confusion on their faces tbh.

That Bounty woman tried to get me just as I came back to the room after 9 hrs in the HDU after my C-section, & my mum shooed her away before I puked onto her shoes. She came back the day after when I was being "taught" how to bath the baby for the first time - a look was all it took to get rid of her that time. Strange though, the healthcare assistant who insisted on showing me how to bath the baby wanted me to bring a camera, & when I said I didn't have one, she disappeared off for a minute or two before the bath session crap & then the Bounty woman miraculously appeared... Wierd. I wonder if they are on commission or something?

I like jubilee10's idea of them being available in the day room or something, in case people are interested, but they really shouldn't be so intrusive, or give the impression that you need to sign up with them to register the baby or get child benefit forms & help etc.

YADNBU I wonder what would happen if every single one of us that has said this wrote an email of complaint to their local maternity unit?

They conned me into giving details the first time (that CB thing), but even then I said a firm No Thanks to photos etc.

By the second (& third time) I was a little more clued up, & told them I would accept the useful Sudocrem sample from the pack if they could explain to me how they would then recycle all the other paper & tat that every other 2nd time mother on the ward was dumping in the bedside bins.

She got quite huffy. It was as if no one had ever before suggested to her that what she was actually doing was a mass junk mail combined with misleading vulnerable women into handing over their personal data to a dubious marketing company. Chuff knows what they imagine it is they do for a living.

Apparently I am the first person in 20 years to have refused a Bounty pack from the tenacious lady who tracked me down having breakfast in the day room. It was DC 4 and I know damn well it all gets binned.

I think it's highly instructive. I think only health professionals and family/friends should be allowed on the ward. Babies always look a bit better a few days after birth for photos anyway.

I was constantly pestered by sales calls ever since I have my info to bounty. Not what you need when trying to look after a new born baby, especially when you've just got them off to sleep and the phone rings

I tried to refuse pics with ds2 but the woman was pushy and said I wasn't obligated to buy them but she'd take some anyway. I was tired (understandably) so just agreed.

I am determined to refuse both the pics and the pack this time!

Bounty Lady? DO they come round offering you a chocolate bar after giving birth to get your strength back up?

If so, surely a cadbury's Boost or a Mars bar would be efficacious?

I nearly forgot about the bloody Bounty woman! Yes, she appeared amongst the numerous nurses, midwives etc. and I foolishly handed over my details (turned down the pics). Was pestered for months afterwards about sodding Disney books, and still get junk mail now.

I agree, go to the day room where you can go if you really want to. YANBU. I forgot how wound up I was about this

We didn't have this intrusive shit when my dcs were born but when dgd was born, we had an interesting interchange with a Bounty photographer who took offence at my (professional) camera kit. "You can't just come in and take pictures of this baby", she assured me, "we've got the business here". It was with the greatest pleasure that I assured her that she had no business anywhere near my granddaughter unless invited by her parents. A fact backed up wholeheartedly by ds2 and ddil. What ddil particularly hated was the way that these people just barged in without bothering to consider whether they were welcome. Since ddil had a long, induced labour followed by an emergency CS, she wasn't feeling at her very best, tbh and certainly not needing anyone other than family around.

What I also found slightly worrying was how, when arriving in the postnatal ward, one of the doctors took one look at my camera and suggested I "wander in and out" of the various rooms snapping away. Apparently he thought I was from the local newspaper covering the New Year babies. Even if I had been, I don't think I had any right to "wander in and out" of anywhere.

yanbu, salespeople are a pain in the hole at the best of times, they shouldn't be allowed near any vulnerable individual.

This has been going on for years though. I had the bounty photos taken of ds1 19 years ago. They where nowhere near as pushy then as they are now and you didn't have to pay there and then either. The lady only came in once a week back then and was there all day in the dayroom, some people used to even come back if they had missed her. The photo's where lovely back then but when ds3 was born in 06 I refused to pay as they where dreadful.