just had a run in with the maternity ward bounty photographer

[StateofConfusion]

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!

[buswanker]

I hate Bounty.
Like many other mums on this thread I had this experience;
A lady dressed like a nurse burst into my room after I had my csection and other complications. My baby was in NICU.
She looked around and asked where my baby was. When I told her she just left the room.
I was only aware from reading on Mumsnet how awful these people are. Until then (when I was in hospital having my four other children) I thought Bounty was a company that was part of the hospital somehow and also the only way to claim child benefit.

[HorryIsUpduffed]

I'm sure the photos are lovely. But they don't do photos out of the goodness of their heart - it is a fairly aggressive business model that reaps dividends elsewhere and preys on vulnerable women in a place where they ought to feel safe from external pressures.

Or, read the thread.

Or, I guess you work for them?

[Springforward]

It never occurred to me to write into my birth plan that I wanted the Bounty rep kept away from me, I'm going to put it in now. Thanks to the pp for the tip.

Bounty must have been responsible for half of my recycling after DS was born. The photo offered was rubbish too and frankly I had enough on my hands just then.

Is there a petition? I'll sign if someone wouldn't mind pointing me towards it.

[redwellybluewelly]

When I was given my bounty pack at booking in I took out what was relevant and handed the rest back to the MW. It makes me mad beyond reason that this 'arrangement' between the NHS and bounty exists and that information is effectively advertising.

I refuse to pick up additional ones and have written into my birth plan I do not want under any circumstances to be approached by the Bounty photographer.

With dc1 she was rushed to NICU and very very poorly, we had no way of knowing if she would survive. I was in a private side room and the Bounty woman just walked in and asked where baby was. I said NICU and she just strolled off, found her later gossiping about 'that woman in 9' (me) with one of the auxiliaries who should have known better. I reported her behaviour to the sister in charge and she didn't bug me again but did give me a few dirty looks.

No way is she getting near me or my baby this time.

[buswanker]

I will also write that in my birth plan. I will recommend anyone I know to do same. A great idea.

[HairyWorm]

Well, I've only registered on the website and unsubscribed from emails last week as they seem to be excessive and not of interest. Anyway, today I get an envelope on the post from legal and general in partnership with Bounty for life insurance. The material inside asks if I've considered how my family would cope if something happened to me.....

OK, it's not going to keep me awake at night but I hate this sort of emotive marketing.
I've checked the website and I haven't selected any contact preferences. Have changed my address to some bollocks in the meantime.

[MsIngaFewmarbles]

I started work on a postnatal ward last week. A woman without a name badge or uniform came into the ward office and was reading the board we have for all the mothers and babies information. I politely asked who she was and she said she was the Bounty lady. I asked if she was allowed in as we have personal information in there. She said that she came into the office every morning to check for new mums I haven't had a chance to ask my boss about it yet but I will. It's such an invasion at a really special and vulnerable time.

[Roma76]

The Bounty lady took photos of my son then airbrushed them so his birth mark was removed before she showed them to me. Considering I had just given birth to what I considered to be a perfect little baby I was upset that someone had looked at him and picked up on his 'imperfections'. When I politely told her I did not wish to purchase any photos she said she would just go and get my 'new mother Bounty pack' from the van. Obviously she never returned.

[chillipepper30]

Hi everyone I'm new here but this topic really caught my eye as it was only this morning I was looking at the photo taken by Bounty of my new arrival in October 2012.

It's not the best photo, it's actually pretty awful. I'd just undergone an emergency C-Section and was very sore & emotional. The Bounty Rep was a loud obnoxious woman who completely invaded my space. She came onto my ward and started re-arranging things around my hospital bed and adjusting the clothes on my Son. I was exhausted, fed up and when I finally got her to leave, she dumped a load of leaflets on my bed and asked me to ask my partner to make sure he had his credit/debit card at visiting time and she'd come back to take the photos.

I told her I wasn't interested and she came back anyway. She kept walking past to see if my partner had arrived yet. When he did arrive he had no idea what ordeal I'd been through with her so he let her take the photos being the proud Dad while I was in the bathroom. When I came back I was so annoyed. The prices were ridiculous, I could take much better more professional looking photos myself using a Blackberry smartphone. £45 later and a survey requesting all of our information (we were not told it wasn't compulsary) I was absolutely livid.

But as you do, you carry on and recover, try to make the most of the rest you have and count down the hours til you can go home. I never thought much of it afterwards as being a Mum kicks in and everything else sits in a 'to-do' list which grows longer by the second.

They are vile people who prey on vulnerable women. This is my third baby and I had the misfortune of a visit each time I was at the hospital and I don't have anything nice to say about them at all. They're like vultures and it's disgusting that they're allowed to come around as they do at such a important time of your recovery and bonding with your newborn. Thankfully I'm not having any more children I'm all done (yay!) but for those who are avoid these creatures like the plague and ask a relative or friend to take some nice relaxed photos which you'll appreciate much more for free when YOU'RE ready not when some loud-mouthed rep decides so.

[chillipepper30]

That's terrible!! Who are they to decide to remove features from your child on a photograph?! I'll be honest though, it doesn't surprise me. Well done for not buying them. I would say it might teach Bounty a lesson but I very much doubt it!

[Doodledumdums]

God I am horrified reading this thread, how awful. Having a baby is a very special time and you are extremely vulnerable and tired and this is just totally unnecessary.

I was lucky in that the bounty woman who came round when I had my DS did quickly take no for an answer, although she did make me fill in a 'compulsory' form with contact details on it. This has driven me mental since, as I constantly get junk mail and free gifts from various charities multiple times a week. I have no idea how to stop it, but if I get any more free address labels from The Blue Cross, or coasters from Christian Aid, then I am going to fimd that bounty lady and shove them down her throat!

[LalyRawr]

All these stories are awful.

I feel like I must the only woman in the UK who had a lovely rep who saw DD was sleeping so whispered that she would be back later (we asked her to!), didn't ask for any details other than those nessecary to send our photos out, have not received any junk mail or emails from them since and the photos were gorgeous!

I guess it's very hit and miss depending on the person you get.

[Daisy299]

I am due in a few months and really worried about being hassled by the Bounty rep. It's a genuine concern for me. I'm not great with strangers and the last thing I want is hassle after labour. I'll be mentioning it on my birth plan but I suspect I'll have to deal with it anyway.

Incidentally we got given the first pack and Emma's Diary and both went straight in the bin. The NHS needs to sort itself out.

[Daisy299]

Listening to the Bounty woman on the radio now saying she's proud to give out healthcare information about pregnancy. Thanks, but that's what my midwife is for. You're a marketing company. You have no right to patrol wards in hospitals, particularly where women are recovering from childbirth.

[BettyandDon]

I was quite rude to mine after DD1. Such an intrusion.

Unfortunately I was just as rude to the next lady that popped in to see me. She was there to do the newborn hearing test. I didn't realise she was medically qualified and there to help assess the baby.

I originally thought I had the right to opt in or out to anyone who approached me, because the first person to do do was the flipping Bounty sales rep!

[DuelingFanjo]

I suspect this has been bumped by loppylou10 or someone else to counteract the stuff in the news today about the Bounty people coming into wards? Or maybe a journalist looking for some fodder for an article/tv programme?

[BettyandDon]

Just to add has anyone received the latest Bounty emails....they are indistinguishable from the likes of Groupon or Wowcher. Peddling expensive and mainly useless IMO baby rubbish with heavy discounts.

I'm quite against the heavy targeting of pregnant ladies and new mums. We are not just a marketing opportunity.

[DontmindifIdo]

Duling - it's now on the front page of MN, so that's probably where the bump has come from (I also normally go straight to active conversations so normally would miss it...)

Having a c section next week, I ho

[DontmindifIdo]

oh hit post too soon!

Having a c section next week, I hope they don't try to bother me when I'm just recovering.

[BarbaraWoodlouse]

I think some of you poor little ladies are getting confused.

The nice Bounty lady on the radio said we all have older kids and the bad marketing practices don't happen any more so she doesn't need to address any concerns raised on here.

[Daisy299]

Ha ha, I heard that too BarbaraWoodlouse. Even though the lead topic on this thread (which was read out almost in full) is less than 6 months old.

[margaretmccartney]

hello
glad lots of other folk have same concerns.
the article in the BMJ has a free link via margaretmccartney.com/2013/05/29/profits-from-pregnancy-free-link-to-bmj-article-2/ if you'd like to read it in full. I'd sign a petition to get these commercial pressures removed from our NHS.

[Sarsaparilla1]

Petition: Health Minister Dr Dan Poulter MP: Put an end to commercial 'parenting club' reps in Maternity Units


www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/health-minister-dr-dan-poulter-mp-put-an-end-to-commercial-parenting-club-reps-in-maternity-units-2

[DontmindifIdo]

So, had a c section on Tuesday morning, Tuesday afternoon asked the midwife if they had bounty reps and if so, could she tell them I'm not interested so they couldn't come to my room, she laughed and said "well I'll try". Wednesday, the bounty lady still came in to see me, although dh was there and told her we were not interested, so she left. When I was leaving on Thursday morning she was there, outside of visiting hours, in the midwife room, where everyone's notes are kept... Seems telling to leave you alone does work, pity you have too.

[JustineMumsnet]

Campaign to ban Bounty sales reps from NHS wards launched here

Thanks to everyone for their input.