Bounty Reps

[Hoolahlah66]

I was just scrolling through my emails deleting all the crap, when I realised why I was getting so many marketing baby type emails. It reminded me of the fateful day I met the bounty rep!

I am aware there are some older threads in this but Nothing for a while that I can see, and I can’t believe they are still allowed to operate in hospitals. I had just woken up when the rep came bursting into my cubical, probably only 6 hours following c section feeling very vulnerable. DH was at home getting some rest following a long few days being induced, so I didn’t even have him there to fend her off on my behalf as I was eyeballs deep in pain relief. I asked her to come back, and she did...5 times during my 3 day stay!! She would not take no for an answer. she wa say perfectly pleasant person, not rude etc but I found the whole premise really intrusive and upsetting.

AIBU to think

1. They shouldn’t be allowed to allude to being a HCA to trick women into giving details.
2. That they have tainted the memory of our first few days. After all, she met my DS before anyone else other than DH..and I didn’t effing invite her. She also interrupted DS’ first cuddle with His grandparents.

Or like many people in older threads have stated they enjoyed the opportunity to capture the first days with some (overpriced) photos?

If I’m not alone and the majority think they have no place in hospitals, can anyone tell me why hasn’t anything been done as it seems to get a lot of people annoyed.

I never actually met the bounty rep dispite being in hospital for a week. I was constantly in the nicu with my son and 5 times when I returned there was stuff laid out all over my bed. I'd just had a section and was recovering from a life threatening illness so the last thing I wanted to do was tidy up. I also told the staff to stop her coming into my room when I'm not there bit that fell on deaf ears

They are parasitic! It's a hideous hijack on vulnerable people. Can you imagine them after any other major health related event? Oh, you're back from your hip replacement, let's take all your details and sell them to a crappy Disney book distributor...

I lived the bounty rep, she was very friendly, took some great photos and wasn't in the way at all.

She had a lovely cuddle with my dd while i ran to the loo.

I already knew i would be paying for the photos when i was pregnant so was kind of waiting for her to come round in the morning.

I suppose timing depends on when baby is born, but the ward i was started getting busy from about 7:30/8 when the midwives /nusres came round with medication etc so everyone was starting to get up and dressed.

@Hellofromtheotherside2020 a student physiotherapist is there to pass on vital information about looking after your body post partum. Unless they were getting you doing burpees YABU to mention them in the same breath as bounty reps

A friend of mine had a very difficult birth with horrific tearing and lost so much blood she needed multiple transfusions. So she could get some sleep her husband took their newborn for a walk and left her on the ward to doze. Exhausted and up to her eyes on pain killers she was woken up by a Bounty rep gently shaking her shoulder asking where her baby was so she could take photos!! Horrific

One got me and went on and on until I informed her she couldn't take any pictures as ds was in NICU. Still wouldn't stop with the hard sell until I asked her to leave politely.

I said no to the photos as I wasn’t in a great state, she was a very nice lady and didn’t pressurise in any way. I regret not having good early photos as we ended up back in hospital. If I have another I’ll be having the photos

My DH was really quite angry about the bounty lady. He pointed out how vulnerable some of the women are and it didn't cross my mind at the time but actually I was a hormonal wreck and our baby wasn't even 24 hours old!

The photos were fine but for the price I thought I could pay a professional photographer so wasn't interested in buying any. She kept coming back time and time again to ask if we wanted to buy!
Also we weren't happy at how much she man handled our little precious bundle. It felt very intrusive and we mentioned it to some of the midwives who completely agreed with us.

We also found out that the NHS pay for the newborn packs they give out!! So what on Earth do the nhs gain from having the bounty people in the hospital!?

The Bounty rep came when I had DD and asked if it was a good time. We said no (we were trying to cup feed DD at the time) so she said she'd come back another time but never did. We got the pack from one of the midwives before we left as we'd asked about the child benefit form - she said they usually have some spare packs about.

They don't intrude at my local hospital they are there but you have to request them

Didn’t buy them with my first born as we didn’t have two pennies to rub together!!

The last one I had her so fast we slept for a bit then they let us go so didn’t even get to go to the ward!

My baby was a few hours old & I was in the middle of a breast feeding lesson with a midwife and this lady just walked into our room and starts asking lots of questions about our feeding etc & if she can watch and suggest some things that might help (I assumed she was another member of staff) so just agreed.

So after a few minutes (of apparent bad advise from her ) our lesson comes to an end & the midwife has to leave to do her next patient. This lady just stays in the room watching me, trying to paw at my child whilst I'm struggling to feed & tells me she's here because she has to take the newborn photos now. I was a first time mum no idea what was going on after a 3 day induction and no sleep and felt really taken advantage of. The midwife was luckily listening from outside and came in and asked her to leave now, then explained who she actually was. They really shouldn't be allowed on wards etc.

I would def write to the hiospital and bounty explainging your concearns there are many who feel the same way. The bags are genrally rubbish have 3 useful things in them, 1 nappy, 1 pot of cream and perhaps washing tablets. But most goes into landfill.

Ours was quite pushy so we ended up with pics of PFB still covered in guck in an interim outfit, pending a good clean. I was VERY teary and overwhelmed. Husband equally bewildered.
Plenty of cameras in the new mother ward.

i was very grateful for ours. our child died at 15 days old from a condition undiagnosed by the hospital staff at birth. we were able to go home at 2 days old after having the bounty pictures. we spent a few days at home then our child collapsed so back in hospital until she died. the only decent pictures we had without tubes or wires were the bounty ones. i rang them up and begged them for the negatives (it was a pre digital age)of the ones we hadnt bought i offered to pay over the odds i was desperate for those pictures. within days framed beautiful pictures were sent to us. we never received a bill. i will never forget the lady on the phones kindness. so they do have a place.

The one who came to me started getting my details off my husband who had no idea she wasn't an hcp. I came in out of the shower and told her to get rid of my details and get out.

Surely what she did was illegal? GDPR states that consent must be freely given by the data subject.

I gave birth nearly a year ago and after reading so many threads on here, I was dreading the bounty rep visit.

But in reality it was absolutely fine. She was in and out on 2minutes, gave me my pack of freebies and that was it. No mention of photos at all. It was a complete non-event.

I had no idea this even happens..it is def preying on mums at a very vulnerable time. I wouldn't have wanted photos of DS with the injuries on his face from being pulled out with forceps. DH took a few photos when i felt up to it. There would be no way we would want, or could afford, professional photos. The closest we got to Bounty was the free newborn packs. They need to be banned from invading mums and babies and only be there if requested.

The first thing I said to the midwives on the ward after having DD2 was "If I have a Bounty Rep by my bed in the morning, I will not be held accountable for my actions."

Unfortunately this wasnt passed onto the Bounty Rep, who poked her head round the curtain whilst I was feeding DD2. I was not pleasant to the woman to say the least.

I gave birth nearly two weeks ago now. Had a bounty rep approach me on the second day on the ward, asking for photo's but I declined. The rep was fine about it and didn't try to pressure me into buying photos.
But I have heard that some do

It annoys the life out of me that we have strict visiting times because wards are busy and new mums need rest

Unless of course you are selling stuff. Then you can come in

The packs don’t need to be given out by a private company making good money to be there

I think it is shocking that sales reps are allowed access to vulnerabe hospital patients

I think it's awful they are allowed to roam about, but I was prepared (thanks Mumsnet) and wanted the little freebie photos so let her get on with it. Annoyed me she kept waiting til DH was off the ward before pouncing.

YANBU- I have said this since I have birth in 2017! I can't believe in this day and age it's allowed. I had a private room and the bounty lady appeared 3 hours after I had given birth; I was exhausted, in pain and trying to establish breastfeeding and was all alone as my husband was sent home- she would not listen to me!
My husband actually used to work for bounty (not as a photographer) and even he agrees that the fact there allowed to wander in and disturb women when we are at our most vulnerable is disgusting.
From what I understand they are not paid a wage by Bounty, it is completely through commission that they make any money - hence why they are so pushy and don't seem to take no for an answer!

@izzywizzywont I teared up reading that. I have a friend who had had a loss and when she had her baby they took some lovely photos, just as she wanted them doing.