Follow On Milk Samples in the Bounty Pack

[NineUnlikelyTales]

Apologies if this has already been discussed before.

I have just been to collect the second Bounty Pack for my DS, who is 7 months. I was really surprised that it contained 3 sachets of follow-on formula and very little else. I know that this stuff is made by formula companies to get round the laws about promoting formula, but I was still surprised.

I read the packets and they said that follow on milk was 'more appropriate than cow's milk' which again surprised me, as that seems to suggest that people should use this stuff instead of cow's milk on cereal, in cooking etc when the baby is weaned onto solids even if BF. In fact the general impression was that BF was okay until now, but follow on milk is best from now on.

I am angry about this because I have a tough enough time expressing for my DS without having the temptation of formula in the house, in whatever guise. I wonder if other proper BF mums might be tempted to try the formula and ditch BF too.

What does everyone think about this and who should I complain to?

nut

I think hospitals/maternity units should explain just what 'Bounty' are about because as a first time knackered, shell-shocked mother I assumed that it was some kind of charity because why would a hospital basically allow a door to door saleswoman on to a (fairly) high security hospital ward? And I can't believe that people on my ward fell for that whole 'we're taking a photo of your child which will be kept for a year by the hospital so that if your child is abducted we know who to look for oh-and-by-the-way-would-you-like-to-purchase-an-overpriced-copy-of-crap-photo-for-proud-grandparents?'

Mind you, dh enjoyed the free red bull

Yes that's very true Fiofio and I don't think I'll bother with the second one. Having said that my local council had a big recycling display van in the local supermarket carpark and I got a lovely reusable nappy, canvas shopping bags (far nicer than those ones going for £500 on ebay) and pencils (!?) free. Oh and the bookstart pack is quite good without too much marketing (another lovely canvas bag - people are starting to look at me a little oddly when I go shopping because I never seem to buy bags).

I haven't read the whole thread...but surely tehre is nothing they can do about 6m+ samples of Follow on milk...because it isn't under the same regulations as the earlier formulas...or am I wrong?
The thing is, I suppose, that by 6 month you will have made your mind up either way...so Formulasamples aren't as much of an issue...hm...
Not that I agree with it, btw...

I was given my bounty bag in hospital, no form to fill in or anything. My problem with the bounty bags is because they are given out in hospital in many people's minds it is as if the hospital are endorsing the products. As if it is normal for babies to have chemicals in their bath water from birth, wash their clothes with harsh powders etc.

But NUT, I agree, follow on milks shouldn't be in a bounty pack. Who are they aimed at, women going back to work? Most women I know who bf and who aren't going back to work think sod it, they may as well carry on bf until lo can have cows milk and I presume most ffers aren't going to change brands at 6 months. It's a shame there isn't more info about the options for women returning to work. Same old crap babyfeeding advice from NHS.....

bookstart is a completely different thing...it is 25% funding from tax paeyer via central government and is an independent charity and is a three way partnership not a commercial enterprise

Fio, yes Bookstart do give those Treasure chests out...my ms just got one recently, my ys got a bookbag with some books, at his 2 1/2 year HV assesment..the books are lovely!

Cazee...I think most people do find that really normal though, to add Babybath and Bio-Washingpowder and conditioners, etc...!So, don't think the people will really see it as an endorsement of these products...well..I never saw it as such anyway!
Also, don't you get a Bountybook in pg (Emma's Diary) and your vouchers for a pre birth bounty bag, and all that....so,r eally, by the time you are apprached in Hospital you do know what they are....I mean, Iknew with es, and I am not english, but rememebr the booklets, etc...

Fio, no this was something I got when lo was about 6 months old from the child health clinic. The bag contained a few nice card books suitable for babies and then a small catalogue of other books you could buy. I think it's run by the government and the Booktrust (which my dad tells me is a charitable organisation) and aims to get people reading to their babies at a young age. Ours also included details about local libraries. We get another pack in a years time I think (hopefully another bag...)

NUT - what do they mean by 'more appropriate than cowsmilk' more appropriate for making papier mache, for feeding to the cat? Sounds a bit meaningless, maybe the ASA or trading standards would be interested?

I didn't have to fill in a coupon and go to Boots - is that a recent thing? I was just given a bag at the hospital (which someone stole, as I reported earlier). I'm pretty sure it didn't have any food items in it - although difficult to be sure as it was stolen. Did I mention that it was stolen?

So either my midwife/HV didn't give me the forms because they know I'm a miserable cow or they don't bother foisting their products on silly selfish homebirth women because we only feed follow-on-knitted-lentil-yoghurt?

It is only now that I am really thinking about this. I know people do buy johnson + johnson wash for their babies, and I am not really "normal" in that I wouldn't use it, but if your baby develops excema or a skin rash the first thing the HV say is "don't put anything in the bath water!" I don't think the hospitals should be "endorsing" certain products in this way.

Bookstart is great DS1 just received the treasure chest with 2/3 books including a Julia Donaldson, nice set of 'this book belongs to' stickers and lots of library info. The bears are a bit crap though!

What's a Bountybook, and you get a pre birth pack????? This I think illustrates why I had no idea what Bounty was. I actually originally (until I opened it) thought it was connected with the kitchen towel people (because you do tend to use a LOT of kitchen towels with a baby with the runs).

I am sure it that Emma's Diary book that you get from your m/w(...well...I got it wiht all 3 of mine and we lived each time in a different area asdh is in the army) is connected to Bounty....
Cazee...I know what ya mean...because i have sensitive skin anyway, I don't use Bio powder/conditioner..or Bubblebath..so, don't use it for the Kids neither ...although used to use Infacare/or derm or something in the bath with es...but now we jsut use grapeseedoil and Lavender oil

just looked, and Emma's diary is not from Bounty...but am sure there were cards in it to pick up your free bounty packs hm.....maybe i have lsot it now, lol

I am now intrigued by Emma's Diary? Who is this Emma? Was she having a torrent affair with another woman wearing footglove shoes? Did she write really vile things about her MIL? Did she make a note of how many cigarettes/alcohol units she'd consumed like Bridget Jones?

I think the Bounty thing is shameful, it is undercover marketing and I refused my bag the second time as was sick of all the crap I didn't need and the woman made me feel awful.
Had just delivered, everyone had left me and DS to rest, and she barges into my room and refused to listen to me, like this is really necessary, i know this isn't necessary so i stuck to my guns, but she was really pushy and it really irritated/upset me at the time, that those first few hours of rest and time with DS were interrupted by someone I did not want to be there,( and who found it difficult to take no for an answer.

There is a Bounty book AND an Emma's diary. The Emma's diary has a coupon to fill out for a gify pack from Lloyds Pharmacy, if you give them all your details, phone number, and a litthe piece of your soul...

DarrellRivers - I would have 'accidentally' flicked a meconium-filled nappy at her

i tried to drip copious amounts of blood on her

Darrell that is disgusting! Not the dripping blood I mean, that sounds perfectly reasonable, I'm talking about the evil bounty woman harrassing you! I would complain to Bounty. God knows, the NHS needs the money, but the whole set up is shoddy guilt-mongering, playing on us at a time when we feel at our most inadequate and desperate. Booo, bounty, shame on you.

And yes, I know they are not compulsory, but they do give you a sort of "oh God I haven't bought any sudocreme yet for the baby, what a crap mother I am" kind of feeling.

Not going to comment on the packs as Ic an;t remember what was in the ones I had, except the huge bottle of carex which was handy for the bathroom

Anyway, where was I? Ah yes, pushy bounty people. The woman doing the photos was a harridan at the unit where I gave birth. She was so desperate for me to pay out for the nasty pictures. I just told her I was shattered and that she would have to speak to my partner about it as he was the financial individual in our relationship. She was only allowed on the ward just after breakfast and visiting times were well after she left. Shame

Agnes

lol...my youngest is only 3...relaly should have known there was a bounty and a emma diary book...lol...not that I took much notice of them in my last 2 pg's...
Must admit, have never actually come across a Bounty woman...with es and ms I had them at teh weekend, whihc is probably why, and with ys the community m/w's gave you the stuff ...
but by the sound of it, I have not missed out then

I think I explained my reasons for collecting the Bounty pack and it wasn't that I didn't want the second one - frankly we are very hard up at the moment and any free things are welcome, as must be the case for a lot of people.

I am not moaning about the lack of creme de la mer face cream or the wrong colour Grobag in the Bounty pack, I just feel that handing out free samples of formula to mothers by the back door is wrong.

and Zippi.."Or did you just collect the bag to see if there was something in it to complain about?" No I didn't. I have better things to think about and I did explain my reasons to you (perhaps you missed this post). I don't know why you decided to say that.