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See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

just had a run in with the maternity ward bounty photographer

804 replies

StateofConfusion · 21/12/2012 13:17

And having previously defended them and loved my pictures of my eldest children todays 'rep' has made me agree they need to be removed from wards!

She arrived originally before breakfast turned on the lights and opened curtains waking me and the other Mum up, then continued to talk over the peadiatrician who was checking my dd over.

Eventually she sulked off but apparently came back when I was asleep (how dare I?) Last time she came back as I'd just settled dd and was eating lunch which had just arrived.

I said No photos at the minute thanks she got most insistant that its for security reasons?? (I'm going home today) and said she'd just lean round and take them, dd was asleep on my lap in a v pillow whilst I ate. I said again, not right now I'm eating she left brochures and went off muttering quite loudly.

I'm hormonal so ofc this has upset me, but not as much as the first time mum across they way! WHY are these people allowed to just walk around a maternity ward being so fucking rude!

OP posts:
RudeolfsHappyFlapper · 22/12/2012 22:40

Been thinking about this thread since last night Sad Horrible, really horrible!!! I've set this as a watched thread so I can sign the petition when it becomes live. When I had my ds I was very Confused at the woman walking around with the camera, I think I even asked if she was staff (memory's very jaded). At the time I was really confused at her reaction when I told her I couldn't afford a picture..

careergirl · 22/12/2012 22:49

During the morning the women and babies will have general checks carried out by the midwife. They may also be seen by the Hearing Screeners, Physiotherapists, Bounty lady, Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioners (Baby Checks) and sometimes the Doctors throughout the day.
www.northumbria.nhs.uk/patients-and-visitors/getting-to-us/wansbeck-general-hospital/ward-11

sounds like bounty lady seen as part of the staff here!

FrozenNorthPole · 22/12/2012 22:55

Marking place

borninastorm · 22/12/2012 22:56

I got my bounty pack from my MW with DS2, can't remember with the other two.

But what I want to know is: when your bounty pack is given to you by your MW does your MW then pass your details onto bounty?

I am appalled at the stories on here and i'll be signing the petition.

On a side note - I temped for a company (many years ago) who input people's addresses to then be sold on. We were told to input every single form even if the person had ticked do not send me any further info or do not pass my details on.

ProtegeMoi · 22/12/2012 23:23

Also marking for petition details.

My bounty rep was an offensive homophobic cow who thought it appropriate to make hateful comments about the fact my partner is ofthe same sex and said she felt sorry for my baby not having a father.

AliceWChild · 22/12/2012 23:37

If its all just dandy, why is there any need to check who had had c sections so they're not bothered? Surely that suggests an understanding that it is intrusive. Why the distinction between someone who had a c section, and someone who had a long labour, intervention, and baby in
SCBU. Or anyone who has just given birth for that matter. Where is the arbitrary line. It's intrusive for all of us.

And a private room doesn't guarantee any knocking. I was private room as baby in
SCBU and they marched on in without knocking

plonko · 22/12/2012 23:47

Thanks for the warning! I'm due in February and have forewarned dp that if a Bounty woman bothers me in his presence he is to firmly show her where to stick her photos. Some of the stories on here are sickening, made worse by Bounty's reaction to MNHQ.

Am glad to say the entire contents if the pack I received at my booking appt went straight in the bin on the same day. Am appalled that the NHS would prostitute itself so recklessly, forcing new mums to be harassed by such a shady operation.

emsyj · 22/12/2012 23:48

Didn't you have a lock on the door Alice? I kept my door locked the whole time - DD's security tag wouldn't stay on as it was too big, so I was a bit paranoid she would get stolen and opted to keep the door locked to my room. Will be doing the same this time around to ensure any visitors are vetted! Grin

FairVerona · 23/12/2012 00:03

As someone who works with mums and babies I'm constantly enraged by the amount of crap we have to give them, stuff which claims to be "educational" but is just advertising for all kinds of shit! It;s such a waste of paper etc. Bounty have a special place reserved for them in Hell.

EmpressOfTheNorthPole · 23/12/2012 00:28

Just seen how many people have tweeted Bounty about this. Wonder what it will take to get a response?

ginbob · 23/12/2012 00:30

Have read entire thread and will be signing the petition. Harvesting data just minutes or hours after labour is shocking practice. Never really given it much thought before and I have 4 children, the last 3 I didn't get any Bounty person at all at Leighton Hospital in Cheshire, but my first DD I had one at the birth centre which is a cosy, secure, midwife-led environment, and she came twice because DD was sleeping the first time. The picture, as others have said, was rubbish - too early to look attractive yet, all furled up and red. I remember it being intrusive on our first cuddle as a little family, and feeling resentful at her uninvited time spent in the private room with us. Cannot imagine how angry and upset it would make me had I had a tragic outcome, or a particularly difficult birth. So we're not safe from this unwelcome, money-grabbing intrusion in birth centres either. It really needs to stop.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/12/2012 00:31

Did anybody on here get given a large purple a4 book about an inch thick by there midwife at booking in appointment?

I can't for the life of me remember what it was called but it covered shit loads of info inc health stuff, details of what check ups/ tests to expect, nutrition, birth and newborn related info as well as employment rights ect.

As far as I remember it was published by the NHS and contained no advertising at all. Some of the photos in it were a bit old fashioned but the info wasn't.

I got given one last year at my booking in appointment figured everybody got one and it was a new thing.

Wouldn't this be an ideal way of conveying all the info the NHS need us to know.

If everybody gets one already then surely they don't need the packs to give us anything as the book covered everything relevant.

EmpressOfTheNorthPole · 23/12/2012 00:48

This book, Sock?
2010 version, latest I can find - some sites say it's only online now.

EmpressOfTheNorthPole · 23/12/2012 00:50

Damn, sorry. This.

notcitrus · 23/12/2012 00:55

sockreturningpixie that's The Pregnancy Book, which I agree is excellent. They only give it now to first-time mothers, so I didn't get one with dd last year.

There's a sequel that I got for ds when born called From Birth To Five, again excellent if a bit dry. I think a MW gave it to me; it certainly wasn't Bounty as pack 4 got lost in the middle of 39 hour labour and transfer to CLU etc and I refused details so wasn't allowed the last one.

At an antrnatal appt this Jan I ended up with a bunch of packs as Bounty had dumped a couple thousand in a storeroom and the MWs needed the space and were desperate to get rid. Bounty was only a nuisance to them.

If people do give Bounty and the other baby data orgs their details, I recommend claiming you don't have a phone - the last thing you need with a baby is being woken by sales calls!

borninastorm · 23/12/2012 01:10

I got that book and ds2 is my third child. I also got the from birth to five book.

I found them both v informative and definitely better than any Bounty advertising info/booklets I received.

IneedAsockamnesty · 23/12/2012 01:43

Yes that's the one. It was the midwife who gave it to me and its nothing to do with bounty or any other simerler company.

If it was just first time mums they wouldn't have given it to me. (Midwife has been delivering my babies for twenty years, not constantly but it feels like it).

I got handed a copy last August. Surely they could just add a cb form to the back that you tear out.

That way no advertising and they get to control the food info included so no rules broken.

It would compleatly cut bounty out of the info resource system so they could no longer trade on the we supply baby and health information in hospitals so we must be trustworthy and good, that serves them so well now.

That way they would only get the details of those who personally enter it on there web page. And it further reduces the illusion that the photos are taken by hospital staff giving them less credibility.

They wouldn't last very long with out all that because then they would cease to be or appear as anything other than a photographic company very simerler to those ones that offer people free sittings in exchange for a postage stamp sized photo for the same price as a BMW. As most of you say the photos are piss poor then they would fold quickly because once people know its one of those types of photography companies they know that they can shop around for a simerler probably cheaper one and better one.

After all companies like that are ten a penny. Either way it would mean that the parents would be looking into it because they have decided they want one, and not because someone they think is a hospital employee has pressured them.

tangerinefeathers · 23/12/2012 05:35

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MerryCouthyMows · 23/12/2012 05:40

I still get sent shit from Bounty for my SB baby boy. I never even have them his details, and the cunts won't take him off their mailing list.

RealAleandOpenFires · 23/12/2012 05:43

TO SoC pm sent to you!

CheerfulYank · 23/12/2012 05:50

Sorry Maximus, just saw your question. I'm not sure if the company in the US is in all hospitals or not!

I was in the hospital just a few months ago with my friend and I feel like someone did snap a pic for security reasons, but it wasn't the same person who came later for "professional" pics. The security picture was just a photo, no information or anything was given. I'll talk to my friend and see what she remembers. :)

Ask your doctor what the procedure is at the hospital you'll be in, maybe?

swallowedAfly · 23/12/2012 06:04

just a thought - we could do with a uniform sign that politely tells bounty to fuck off and can be pinned on the curtains/bed. would be wonderful to see it take off - people could just print it out online to take with them to hospital.

it could be worded to also convey that they expressly do not have your permission to steal yours or your baby's details and use them or sell them on to third parties. there is surely a legal way of wording it that means they are explicitly breaking the law or falling foul of the data protection act if they go on to do so?

if the sign was marketed on here and netmums and whatever other popular parenting sites there are it could actually take on significantly and would be spreading the message to staff and mothers in hospital and bounty would be being faced with the same damned sign everywhere they went.

Finallygotaroundtoit · 23/12/2012 06:19

Some Mat Units have Bounty prominently featured on their websites and HUGE displays around the wards - easily crowding out NHS info
All helping to make them look official

cherryjellow · 23/12/2012 07:58

I love the idea swallowed! I was lucky not to see a bounty rep after giving birth, it sounds awful for so many!

OhDearNigel · 23/12/2012 08:28

have a great idea for a sign, will try to knock somethng up this mornign