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'

snorkle - you can register with Mailing Preference Service to remove your details from the list regarding baby stuff.

www.mpsonline.org.uk/bmpsr/

this doesn't just apply to Bounty but to any company which Bounty sells your details on to.

If they send you anything else after you have registered phone them up and tell them that unless they remove you from the list then you will report them to the Direct Marketing Association and Advertising Standards Authority.

Total waste of time and money imho. Still have the full size bottle of fabric conditioner under the sink (seriously stinky stuff) and the full size bottle of baby wash (it's like mainlining parabens!). Filled up my recycling bin with the rest.

I'm hoping for a home birth with the next one so I won't have to be rude to the Bounty lady

Bounty packs are annoying, I hate the way they sell your details to all and sundry. With baby no 1 I was innocent and must have missed ticking the apt box to not sell on my details, made sure I did 2nd time round. Got phoned up by bounty selling life insurance a few weeks later after baby no 1 which I think is just immoral, new mums are hardly in a good place to buy financial products, they are just taking advantage. Had hb with first baby so didn't get birth bag but don't think I missed much, don't think CB form was put in it then.

In the intervening 4 yrs the bag is definitely emptier. Sure it had more last time, Just stupid fabric softener this time which I haven't used in yrs. Gave it to my brother.

Just refuse it..Surely they can't actually force you to take it?
No need to be rude..a simple "No thanks I'm not interested" would get the message across.

Its hard to refuse now because of the child benefit form that is actually inside the pack, the others are easy to refuse.

Last time I said I didn't want one, and the MW replied 'well you might as well have it' and left it there anyway!

thanks freshprinces - it was a long time ago, before mailing pref service existed I think. We did try to get de-registered, but it didn't work. Good to see that it might be easier these days.

I got my Bounty pack nicked by the rough woman in the bed next to me when i was in hospital having ds.

Got lots of nice freebies in the "mum to be" one this time round though, sachet of Ovaltine, lots of sanitary towels (WHY do i need sanitary towels though - I'm pregnant!! Duh...) teeny pot of Sudocrem - which is great cause i lost the one i had with ds - Fairy tablets and fabric softner which i gave to my neighbour.

I'm not fussed either way, tbh, i think the amount of marketing shoved at new mums prepares them to an extent for what is to come!!

In my befuddled state it took me weeks to realise that it was advertising.... I think I thought Bounty was the NHS.

YANBU (loved the mini sudocreme pot too though)

I HATE the bounty people I really do, especially the annoying woman who insists she needs to take photo's for security purpose and not because she wants to try and flog you over priced snap shots of your unwashed baby who's still got birth matter in their hair and bruising from forceps.

And then once you get home a million bounty associated companies phone you or come to the door trying to flog you child trust funds, life insurance and books.

grrrr!

I'm 22 weeks pg now and the midwife keeps saying they don't have any atm and to keep asking. She comes from a different surgery so doesn't bring any with her. I feel too cheeky to ask for a freebie.

i hate it and the whole process its part of
Freebies - a single breastpad is not much bloody use
Its a chronic waste of trees
Being hassled to have one's photo taken four hours after an emcs
Its inappropriate, wasteful and not very savvy in marketing terms

Snorkle - no probs, misread your post and thought you meant you were still getting them.

Useless bag of tat. A few sample sizes. It's all about advertising. You can get by without it, and it is bad for the environment.

I loved my Bounty pack

just say no that you don't want one, they are nor forced on anybody

I took the one in hospital but thankfully had been pre-warned on MN that they then went to take all your details. So when she asked for them I just said "no, sorry" and smiled sweetly at her.

She looked really pissed off

It is a load of crap though although we did get the free nappy bin to keep by the back door.

no no, say yes, then don't give them your details.

I didn't have a bounty pack with my second two kids, as I used an independent midwife. I didn't miss them! This time round I ordered myself a Mama Pack which has alternative stuff from WAHMs in it. It arrived today - will let people know if it is any good, if interested.

I loved mine but I adore a freebie, sad but true!
But with first I just said no thanks no photo as I was reeling after a GA and much trauma, no problem
The second I was in hosp on a Saturday. Someone shoved it round the door into my room and scarpered, no question of giving details

Yes - you could come over all grammar pedant-ish and say, "I'm sure you can take my details, but you may not."

And I never got emma's diary, the two little booklets I got - one for pg and one for the first six weeks or whatever were actually incredibly useful with none of the bias of certain mnet favourite child gurus just a load of sound info
I think women get bombarded by advertising every day of their lives, including on mumsnet, so we can cope with a few ads for wooden cots in a bounty pack

ooh my old head master always used to say "you can but you may not" I use it now to annoy people

lingle: 'in my befuddled state...I thought Bounty was the NHS'

Exactly -- exploitation of people in a vulnerable state.

When I was pregnant for the first time, I was 20 years old and I naively thought that everything directed at me must surely be in the best interests of my baby and me and only that. How things change, as I am now older and far more cynical!

interesting - when I had DS last November, the bounty bag was just left on my bed, I never saw a rep from Bounty at all. I didn't have to sign anything, or give anyone any details and I haven't been hassled by anyone since. I agree the freebies were fairly useless - somehow I managed to acquire 2 bags (probably because I changed room) and still have 2 large bottles of unused fabric conditioner (must find someone to give them to).

We did get photos offered the next day but not by Bounty people.

I got Emma's diary given me at my AN booking appt; and a form to get it again when I registered DS's birth.

I had to almost put my hand over my sons face to stop the Bounty lady taking his photo - she kept insisting it would stay on a file somewhere on the off chance I wanted to sign up to a full set of photos so they would know who we were. She said of course it wouldn't affect me getting my free pack but she never came back with one!