Bounty in the Daily Telegraph

[GeraldineMumsnet]

Thought you might be interested in this story which quotes Mumsnet users.

They don't have them at all at my hospital - is it up to individual Trusts?

They were short of beds and put me back on Labour Ward so I didn't get a Bounty Lady, but DH picked up 2 identical bags from somewhere, unfortunately the least useful one! Ie no form, no free wipes, no free washing powder, just some horlicks...

We got the "we have to take photos for security reasons" line too. Luckily, the Bounty woman came when DP had come to collect us, as I was in no fit state to argue. He told her we didn't want the photos but she insisted on taking a picture of DS even though she was really narked that we wouldn't pick him up (he'd been feeding all night and he'd just gone to sleep so we wanted to leave him be).

Photos for security reasons here as well, plus being asked if you have your credit card details to pay for pics just after giving birth isn't brilliant! I ended up buying the photos which I do like but they are fairly pushy and do make it sound like every baby has to have their picture taken.

I too think the bounty thing is out of control! I wouldn't mind at all if the money they make from all those reddish wrinkly baby pics went to say, scbu?!
I hate the way you are offered bags of crap, and I hate the way they (at least used to) include baby milk advertising etc. I was even more scandalised when I found out about nestles aggressive marketing of baby milk in africa buts thats another subject.. I suppose they stand to make a lot of money out of new parents if they get them at the start..

Couldn't agree more, I escaped it with DD as transferred to the MW led unit from the delivery suite but with DS I had to stay as I had an EMCS. She was really pushy & I felt like I couldn't say no so to let her take the photo, it was an awful photo too! No way I was buying it!

I got two Bounty packs after I had dts 7 1/2 years ago and the woman was perfectly fine.

She asked us if she could come in to the four-bed ward then who wanted the photos taken (all of us did anyway.) There was absolutely no pressure and the freebies went down very well!

I guess there will always be some people who take it a little too far.

I had no idea what Bounty was and just accepted the bag, gave the details, refused the photo. Once I realised it was just a big marketing campaign I just used the free stuff that was there and resolved not to buy any of it partly as a matter of principle and partly also because none of it was stuff I would usually use and I (foolishly I'm sure) like to think I can't be infected with that sort of marketing. Still ... I'm annoyed that I fell for a marketing scam even to a mild extent. Now I think about it, it really is out of order to have these people visiting new mothers in the post birth haze/daze. When you're in hospital you just assume everyone who comes to see you is official in some way and should actually be there.

I'm shocked by the line about photos being taken for security purposes. I have used washing powder and Sudocrem, and used fabric conditioner with ds1 until he developed an allergy to one with a slightly different fragrance from usual and I decided to stop using it ever as the rash had given me such a fright.

This photo thing is !! I've had two babies in two different regions, and I've never encountred a "Bounty Lady". I've just found the bag of freebies in my room, like a post-partum Santa's stocking . I've never been asked for any details. I just sifted through the crap and kept the super litle pot of sudocrem, so they were great IMO

I asked to have a look at some examples of the photographer's work and then told her I thought they were crap and my DP would do a much better job. That shut her up!