To really dislike those Bounty packs that get forced upon us, whether we want them or not?

[electra]

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since everything is a commodity today. But for some reason I find them in such poor taste. You go for a booking appointment with a midwife, so very early on in a pregnancy and it's an opportunity for you to be bombarded with advertisements for oak cots and so on...

I feel it's not entirely appropriate that healthcare providers buy into this kind of thing and endorse it and I felt the same when I was given one after dd2 was born and I barely had the energy to mumble 'I don't want one thanks'

Not the same thing exactly but similar and ties into your comment 'healthcare providers buy into this kind of thing and endorse it' - been to casualty today and the information leaflets they give out 'ankle injuries', 'back pain', using crutches' etc all have an advert for a personal injury claim law firm on the back

YANBU

I agree with you. Full of useless shit and advertising.

I liked them! Just ditch the leaflets and use all the freebies!

Trouser the freebies - whilst still in surgery/hospital etc - then enquire as to their waste paper re-cycling facility.

Or just refuse to take the bloody thing. I had Emma's ruddy Diary practically shoved in my bag as soon as I announced my last pg. Wasn't any use the first time round!

YANBU. 'Emma's Diary' was one of the most crappy and shameful publications I've ever received.

Emma gets on my tits

Her bloody pregnancy is sooooo far removed from mine. I hope in the next edition SHE finds out at week 7 that her lovely supportive Nick is shagging a 17yo in the back of their van

ouch Ramble! that sounds very unlike little miss just-the-right-amount-of-oily fish Emma and actually bloody awful for you.

I too dislike bounty packs but I have a collecting problem, I find it hard to say no to free things even if I don't want them.

I will try harder if there is a next time.

I found the bounty packs really useful tbh.

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I was in hospital 12 hours after having ds1 when bounty woman popped her head in, I told her 'through tears' to 'f* off', She asked if I wanted to see a midwife - I said that might be a good idea..

YABateensybitU - you can always leave the thing on the bed for the next sucker mum.
Perhaps they should have a feedback form where you can suggest things that might actually be useful ?

I got a teeny special bottle of fab con.

And I fought hard to get it, us homebirthers miss out on so much free stuff.

i liked the bounty pack!
Gave me loads to read over while waiting to go home! And came in handy too.

I have 2 children.

And 2 bottles of fabric conditioner under the sink.

there is a bit on their form sating ;moter refused to give details' so you don't get any mail.

I didn't get one with DS2 as he was an unplanned home birth and despite asking the MW, she never got round to getting me one.

Was a pain as the child benefit applications are in the bags and I had to faff around to get the CB arranged as a result. Much better to get the bag, get the form and post it off.

Recycle it if you aren't interested. No big deal.

I see your point, but while in hosp Bounty didnt annoy half as much as the annoying harpie who kept try to sell overpriced photo sessions.

I still havent figured out the big deal about fabric conditioner, apart from it makes your clothes smell. I tried it worse and it did nothing for my towels.

Ohh no, never put fabric conditioner in with towels! Not good for them apparently.

I don't know about the value of fabric conditioner but I still get nostaligic about my babies when I get a sniff of certain conditioners.

Mind you, I don't remember getting fabric conditioner in DS1's bag - there were a few things but I remember a small packet of wipes and a dinky pot of sudocrem. Useful.

Lol Niecie, I thought they would come out the washing machine and dry all fluffy on the line!
You still get the dinky pot of sudocrem. No wipes tho.

Dinky pot of sudocrem absolutely brill, refil and stick in baby bag, saves you lugging around the huge one...i need a new one, just lost mine
free pics every 6 months nice...but spent a fortune at every sitting in addition of course...
all other freebies pretty pointless...
Emma's diary a complete waste of time and forests! And they force it on you the second time too...why oh why!?

It's one of those things which are a double edged sword unfortunately. From my time as a community midwife I can tell you that most people seem to like these packs and the freebies (although have to say the freebies seemed minimal).
As a student midwife I attended a big (and very heated) debate about these. Some midwives felt like they were pushing advertising and others said "women like them so what's the harm"?
From my experience I can tell you that many women feel cheated in some way if they don't get their Bounty pack before or after birth.

So YANBU to dislike being given all this advertising.

BTW - Emma's Diary was the worst info booklet I have ever seen - even 7 years after I left midwifery it's still dreadful - saw an updated one recently - still appalling.

I just had a look through, recycled or gavew away stuff I didn't want and kept the bits I did.
The money off coupons were good though I ended up giving some of them away to people because they were things I don't use.
So myself and friends made\Z good use of it!

ooh you ungrateful lot! Fine about the advertising, so throw it away and say thanks for the freebies! Money off coupons, pots of stuff, info if you want it, how fantastic.

I absolutely love getting my bounty packs. i know that the actual amount of product isn't great but you do get money off vouchers and some of the lit can be interesting. Won't i get these because i am having a homebirth??

our hospital one had a toothbrush in it, and DP spent ages staring at it and then said 'does the baby really need such a big toothbrush?'