Mothercare expectant parent event

[KimchiLaLa]

I'm going to this tomorrow night but just had a text reminding me about it and it says it's 2.5 hours! That feels abnormally long, has anyone been and are they really that long or can you leave as you wish?

The one I went to was that long, but different talks are on at different times so you just hang about for the ones you want to hear. Money off vouchers are given at the door on the way in so you don't have to stay till the end to get them

Ok thank you! I read the text and was like - wait, I will be eating way too late! As the event is in the evening.

Mamas and Papas events are 3 hours long but you don't have to stay for bits that you're not interested in so maybe Mothercare are the same?

I am going to one Thursday purely to order the pram we want and get the 10% off they have on. I will stay for a bit to see what it's all about but deffo don't plan on staying the whole two hours x

Apologies for hijacking but are these worth going to for the discounts? Anyone know what vouchers/discounts are offered? My local mothercare has an event this week not sure whether to make the effort to go or not.

I think it's 10% off everything but not bugaboo? Xx

What are the talks typically about? Plus is the 10% off sale stuff too? X

We went last week and it was only about an hour and 15 minutes. We thought it was pretty rubbish to be honest but think it depends which store you go. We were put in three groups and then everyone rotates for the different talks. If you want 10% then go for it but really I find Mamas & Papas do many more offers on a regular basis that work out better than Mothercare. Unless you require something specific they do not stock....

I went last week it said it was 2 hours long but there was about 4 talks at the start which lasted about 5 minutes each and then the rest of the time people were able to just walk around and look at the products in the shop.

We stayed for the talks then bought a couple of things and then left. There was 10% off voucher which you got at the door and there was also some drinks and sandwiches

We went, we got 10% off, got fed, I had a shoulder massage and there were talks on feeding, sleeping, car seats, prams and they had the Red Cross in to do basic paediatric first aid.

We found it useful and it was all free.

We went back in March with friends and are going again tomorrow purely to get the discount voucher - going to order our isofix base, cot mattress and Moses basket mattress. They had a few talks when we last went and stalls for things like swimming lessons and baby signing classes. You definitely don't need to stay for the whole thing though.

Can anyone confirm that the 10% discount does not apply to Bugaboo?

Went to one last night and it was a huge waste of time. We went purely for the baby first aid but it was just a women selling a private course and all she told us was 'stick a thermometer inside baby's armpit not ear' and then they demoed some prams and car seats.

I wouldn't recommend it, ours was dire unfortunately

Is the 10% a voucher to be used anytime oris it just valid on the night? I don't really want so sit through talks but wouldn't mind 10% off

I went to one on Monday and the voucher is vaild in store and online until sometime in July. I stayed about half an hour for a couple of talks, but you don't have to. I'd rather order in the comfort of my own home!

Don't bother with mothercare - even with 10% off it is hideously expensive (£130 for the £50 everywhere else prep machine!) look around for online vouchers - I got 20% off my bugaboo chameleon Classic at winstanlys pram world (was delivered 2 days later for FREE) and natural baby shower has 15% off for signing up to their emails.

Well I'm here and I didn't realise it was a mandatory couples thing as EVERYONE is here with their other halves. I'm the only one who's not. Everyone else is also heavily pregnant and I have no bump. I must look like the random woman who just decided to join!

I felt a bit like that at the mamas and papas event I went to OP! I went with my friend (we were the only "non-couple" pair there and whilst she was 24 weeks I was only 14 with no bump and everyone else was clearly very pregnant. We just assumed that we must have looked like a same-sex couple to others!

Also, I feel duped as the whole event is 2.5 hours and I was told when there id need to stay until the end to get a voucher! FFS! I walked out.

Oh that's rubbish! I was given it at the start, I'd have gone stir crazy after 2.5 hours!!

Hmmm well given mine is at 9am on Sunday and a 20 minute drive away, AND I'm having this baby on my own (my choice but don't particularly want to be surrounded by all couples!) I'm not really feeling that fussed about going! 10% discount is nothing really when you can get such good deals online.

The mamas and papas event does sound better for freebies- on arrival we were given discount vouchers for the day (10-15% off everything depending on how much you spent), a £5 gift card, babygrow and matching bib, sample of pregnancy vitamins and a canvas bag. Plus there was no pressure to stay until the end and we were given water/orange juice on arrival. Sorry to hear your experience wasn't as good OP, I'd been tempted to try a mothercare one but think I'll give it a miss! Xx

Although in a similar vein the second talk for us was advertised as a hypnobirthing session but was just a lady try to get you to sign up for her £200 a day private hypnotherapy course, no actual info given.

Lemon - i rang mothercare and asked if the discount excluded anything and it was them who said bugaboo is not included however I would double check in case it's different for different stores?

Hmmm. Thanks Lelly. The more I hear about these events, the more I don't think I'll bother! (Like not signing up to Bounty for a handful of leaflets and being spammed forever!)