to agree with Alice Roberts on Bounty?

[WidowWadman]

are some advantages to being an anatomist. When the Bounty lady approaches me on the maternity ward, I shall tell her, very accurately, exactly where she can stick her free samples." www.guardian.co.uk/science/2013/apr/28/alice-roberts-pregnancy-bounty-nhs

[Flisspaps]

RedHelen I think the absolute opposite - those photo packs are overpriced and shit. The photographer's only qualifications seem to be owning a camera and a fucking god-awful attitude. They are not 'special' for most women, they are foisted upon them when they are in a position where they're knackered, often unwell (if they're on a PN ward rather than given a 6 hr discharge) and are not feeling able to decline.

Now that almost everyone has a half-decent camera on a phone and the CB forms are available online, there is absolutely no reason for Bounty to be doling anything out or taking photos of babies on wards.

Appalling and shameful.

[HKat]

Slightly different issue but I remember the bounty lady coming into the actual labousr room very soon after I'd given birth to try and foist a pack on me...while I'm lying there legs akimbo waiting for stitches. The midwife, Jane, threw her out. I now get all advertising packs at my house, addressed to Jane....

[josiejay]

Don't know if it's still the same but when I had DS you were automatically charged for all of the photos (hugely expensive package) unless you sent them back within a certain time frame. I thought at the time that was outrageous, I can imagine many women who have just had a baby would end up getting trapped by that and it seems very exploitative. The behaviour of some of those bounty reps sounds just appalling.

[RedHelenB]

I know when I had ds it was under £30 for the pack with the birth announcement, baby book, photos etc I was upset the Bounty lady wasn't there for dd2 so had to go back! Oh & I paid when I ordered them.

I would say that it is up to the hospital staff to decide where they can & can't go & i am just presenting the other viewpoint.

[Flisspaps]

It shouldn't be up to the hospital staff.

They shouldn't be there. You don't see people preying upon vulnerable patients in other parts of the hospital - the geriatric ward, the childrens' ward perhaps - in order to harvest information from them for profit or to sell them things when they're not in a position to make an informed choice.

The women on PN wards are usually too unwell or too vulnerable to have a 6hr discharge. They've had anaesthetics, operations or medical procedures, drugs, no sleep for days, they're in pain...these are women who should be protected from salespeople in these vulnerable hours.

If you want nice pics, get a friend or relative to take them, take them yourself, don't pretend this company is doing women a fucking service when in fact they're doing the bloody opposite

[Sneezingwakesthebaby]

How many years ago was that redhelen? I had dd last year and for 2 a4 size pics and 2 a5 it cost £50. Great value

I'd rather not have the option of the pics and have the knowledge that vulnerable women weren't being harassed tbh.

[BlackDahlia11]

This all makes me very angry. I hope the Bounty woman comes when my DH is around. He's livid about it. Know if they tried any tactics he would give them a piece of his mind! Though the Bounty people probably know that if visitors are around they may have less luck than if it's just vulnerable new mum and baby.

If they come in and ask and I say no and they go away that's fine... but if they pester then I feel very sorry for the one who speaks to me. I'm not a violent person but some of these reps need a punch in the face and sat on.

[BlackDahlia11]

Me thinks RedHelenB is a Bounty rep...

[olivertheoctopus]

DS1 was taken straight to NICU and then SCBU and when i was on the ward (without him) I felt really left out because this woman was going to see all the other mums WITH their babies and the only person who came to talk to me was the hospital chaplain. I did get photos done with DS2 (didn't buy them) and have never had any marketing bumpf though suggesting sold on details so I must have ticked a box. It's the packs which bother me more than the women on the wards. Utter crap in all of them which just fills up the recycling bin. Don't get me started on that patronising Emma's Diary rubbish.

[ifitsnotanarse]

RedHelenB Do you work for Bounty by any chance?

[Iwantmybed]

I'm sad the Bounty women didn't come near me on the ward, I was desparate to tell her to fuck off. I think she knew this though its disgusting that they are allowed on the ward, I signed up to MNs FB say no to bounty campaign.

[GalaxyDefender]

I remember the other thread on this. Similar to a couple of other stories here, my DS was whisked away to SCBU due to being prem, and the midwives kindly moved me into a private room on the maternity ward. I suspect this was because I was an absolute wreck who burst into tears any time someone with a baby went past

I was in the ward for two weeks, with DS coming and going from SCBU. I think different Bounty reps came to my room three times, and not one of them knocked. They just barged in. I was lucky, in that DP was able to be with me most of the time and was there to get rid of them. If they'd caught me on my own, I genuinely don't know that I'd have been able to say no to them, I was so sleep-deprived and stressed and hormonal and weepy.

They should definitely be removed. Or at least not allowed to roam the wards.

[CommanderShepard]

There was the Bounty lady on a recent-ish thread who was insistent that she was an integral part of the maternity care team. Seriously deluded.

(The one who came to us went away as soon as we said no thank you; DH was gutted as he was spoiling for a bounty showdown!)

[changeforthebetter]

quote that is awful. I am sorry you lost your sons

[Fishandjam]

The Bounty lady in our hospital gave us a wide berth after DH helpfully told her that her camera was much lower spec than his and wouldn't work so well in the lower light levels on the ward.

[RubberBullets]

I remember her, she was almost suggesting that SCBU couldn't run without her

[thebody]

Quote, that's just terrible so very sorry for your loss.

I have been very lucky not to meet one of these people during my post natal stays and glad I havnt.

[JulieMumsnet]

We know that this is an emotive subject, but we'd be grateful if you could take a few moments so look at our talk guidelines

[ItsYoniYappy]

I had no idea Bounty kept records of babies who didn't survive. I have been being accused for years of signing up my STBXHs g.friend as she keeps getting literature and her baby was still born. They blame me. I do not contact them or would have let them see this thread.

[Fillyjonk75]

I never had an issue with them or knew they were a problem before coming to MN.

[Fillyjonk75]

Someone came to take photos with both DDs (same woman) but she didn't give out free stuff or information. I had free stuff given by the hospital before DDs were born and forms given out by midwives.