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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

KirjavaTheCat · 28/04/2013 16:32

My bounty lady (I say lady, she was the same age as me and straight out of college with her camera bless her) was lovely. Didn't seem put out when I declined having photos taken.

Read some right horror stories though.

musu · 28/04/2013 16:41

When I saw the Bounty lady she said "I can't take any photos of your baby because he's not here and I can't go to SCBU. In any case I'm sure you wouldn't want me to take photos with him covered in wires" Hmm This during a time when at one stage ds wasn't expected to survive.

Then every day after that (for the 12 days I stayed in hospital out of the 25 days ds was in SCBU) she would make similar horrible comments. I wish now I had told her what I thought of her.

BangOn · 28/04/2013 16:45

It's only going to get worse as the nhs disintegrates

WidowWadman · 28/04/2013 16:49

Thinking about it, what do Bounty pay to HMRC for the right to include the child benefit forms into the pack?

OP posts:
50shadesofbrown · 28/04/2013 16:58

They are scumbags for exploiting vulnerable women.

That said, they did do a good job of my DD's photo. They removed the marks from her face - she had significant cuts on both sides & over one eye, from the forceps.

But they are still generally scumbags (as an organisation, I'm sure lots of the individual ladies are nice enough).

Piemother · 28/04/2013 18:54

Musu I am aghast at your experience. What an evil bitch Hmm

zeno · 28/04/2013 19:29

I have posted before about my experience but it's worth repeating to illustrate why non medical people should be kept away from the ward.

Bounty lady came into our private room and tried to get names and address from me and dh.

When we asked why she wanted that info (being cynical suspicious types) she finally disclosed who she was. From here on we were trying to get her to leave us alone, but she wouldn't go.

She kept trying new angles, including the cb form and the freebies. We were quite clear and polite in saying no, please leave us alone.

In the end she asked us whether this was our first, at which point all bets were off. Our older dd had died just weeks before. We told her, fairly bluntly, and again asked get to leave.

Her parting words: "Oh well, at least you've got a nice little replacement there."

The hospital staff all knew what had happened to us and handled a difficult situation beautifully well. One person not in the loop, tactless and ignorant, greedy for commission, undid so much of their work in trying to protect us and help us.

Commercial interests do not belong in medical settings. We go there as patients, not customers.

Quoteunquote, I'm so sorry about the impact they have had on you. they are unscrupulous bastards who prey on the vulnerable and have no compassion.

MiaowTheCat · 28/04/2013 19:50

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

musu · 28/04/2013 21:25

It was worse in hindsight than at the time as I was obviously so focused on ds that her behaviour kind of went over my head. I do remember being surprised that she was allowed just to wander around the ward.

eccentrica · 29/04/2013 21:47

Shock I had my daughter in a birth centre so was thankfully spared the visitation of the Bounty lady. I am truly shocked by the stories I've read here.

FannyBazaar · 29/04/2013 22:34

I wonder what would happen if Sudocrem pulled out of Bounty? Are the two companies linked? The sudocrem seems to really attract people and of course encourages them to use it whether it is needed or not.

IneedAyoniNickname · 29/04/2013 22:41

The bounty lady when I had ds2 was lovely, possibly because she had a product to sell, who knows! But 6.5 years later the photo she took remains one of my favourites.

However, I'm horrified at some of the experiences I've read on here :(

RedHelenB · 30/04/2013 07:05

Sorry Miaow but you laid into the wrong person, understandably. For most mothers those photo packs are special & good value for money.

Peahentailfeathers · 30/04/2013 07:40

The whole Bounty scheme is awful and their reps shouldn't be allowed to bother postnatal women.

On the other hand, Mama Packs are fantastic and full of really useful stuff - definitely worth getting.

ScarletLady02 · 30/04/2013 07:55

I didn't even get any Bounty Packs or get a visit...I heard about them though and they were the first parenting forum I used, and the only one for ages. Met some great ladies on a certain part of that site, however all these stories are hideous! I had no idea they were like that.

Wannabestepfordwife · 30/04/2013 07:55

Dp rarely loses his temper but he was about to tell the bounty woman we had to f#%* off after our sixth no on the photos and she still kept pushing.

She was even worse to the woman across from me who had a cs was alone and could barely speak English trying to manipulate someone that vulnerable is disgusting

Sneezingwakesthebaby · 30/04/2013 08:52

Good value for money redhelen?! Shock

Wishiwasanheiress · 30/04/2013 08:55

I hate them. So much I will not spend any further time thinking about them. Possibly my shortest comment ever.

MiaowTheCat · 30/04/2013 09:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MiaowTheCat · 30/04/2013 09:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ShadowStorm · 30/04/2013 10:00

Totally agree with Alice Roberts opinion on Bounty.

DS was also taken immediately to SCBU as he was premature. The midwives put me in a private room on the post-natal ward, which I thought was very kind of them given my circumstances.

The Bounty lady barged straight into my room - ignoring the closed door - looked around the room, and demanded to know where the baby was. She went away, as soon as I'd said DS was in SCBU - didn't make any comments about photos at all, I think she was a bit embarrassed? - but I found that very upsetting.

I think that if hospitals are going to let Bounty ladies onto post-natal wards at all (and I think it would be much better if they didn't), they need to have some way of letting them know which mothers shouldn't be pestered. No-one who's got a baby in NICU/SCBU or a stillborn baby needs to have a Bounty lady asking them where the baby is.

SuffolkNWhat · 30/04/2013 10:01

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Peahentailfeathers · 30/04/2013 10:28

That's a good idea, Suffolk. If there was a room to go to if you wanted to see the Bounty people, that would be fine.

Some of these stories are so sad. Things like this wouldn't be allowed to happen in any other hospital department.

ShadowStorm · 30/04/2013 10:36

The idea about the Bounty lady being in a room, so only mothers who want to see them will see them, sounds much much better than the current arrangement.

MrsMargoLeadbetter · 30/04/2013 11:12

So many Sad stories.

I think in the mat department the other week an NHS midwife was handing out the packs. I have seen "civilian" Bounty women before.

I was astounded that it was seen as a worthwhile activity for a NHS midwife.

I wonder if Bounty pay each Trust for their exclusive access....