Raised eyebrows when I said I'd probably didn't want my bounty pack??!!!

[Lizzer]

From my midwife, obviously. She asked why, and I said I didn't need formula, jar foods or disposable nappy adverts.....Then I felt a bit silly.I don't know why I said it really, I made some comment about being a hippy at heart which difused the situation... I threw away my 'emma's diary' after opening every page to see an advert. Did anyone else feel the same? Please say I'm not the only one!

me too
told them to sod right off, well I hope that's the message I conveyed but in fact I was off my tits on drugs still and had a leaking wound and trying to have a shower when the bounty pack woman followed me in there and tried to pull back the curtain to get my full address and postcode.

so I'm with you, sister

Yes, be prepared for the Bounty woman to stalk you in hospital and for your basic human/data protection rights to be on standby until you have accepted the blasted thing.

Interestingly, St Thomas's in London tried to get rid of the Bounty packs as the midwives there felt they were (a) contradicting the hosp's breastfeeding policy and (b) creating vast amounts of clutter and rubbish on the wards when women opened them and chucked what they didn't want around their beds. Sadly, there was an outcry from the mothers and they had to give in and keep doing them. Then again, they were quite brave to even suggest taking a freebie away from a pregnant woman .

I quite liked the tiny pot of Sudocrem in mine but the rest went into the recycling bin.

Argh! I'm scared of her already! I can't remember it first time round very much except thinking, what a load of crap! Yes, clutter and rubbish precisely! I'm going to remember this and be prepared for her!

When i had my booking in appointment, my midwife forgot to put her bounty packs in teh boot of her car that morning so i actually missed out. I know it's a load of crap really, but sometimes midwives go along their merry little ways assuming that we all know everything about having a baby, even if it's our first (this is my second, but i haven't been pg for 17 years!).

Lol sorry, i'm in a ranty (but still happy) mood today!

Good for you. Can't stand all the rubbish in those freebie packs - just blatent advertising. The one they give you when you have your first antenatal appt is a load of crap too. And sooo overpacked - a single nappy in a massive cardboard box. I got weird looks when I gave it back too.

The only useful freebie I've had from the hospital was the Babygroe mag, as it was genuinely informative and non-patronising, and had lots of local info. I found a lovely baby shop on the other side of my town through it.

The one you get after the birth has the application form for child benefit so that is useful but then you could get that from the job centre. They do go on sending you advertising for years to come.

Good lord hasn't Emma had that baby yet!

Agree, it's just a bag of leaflets and the odd sachet of baby rice and a free nappy. Wowweee.

I still remember my childish excitement at getting it though

The only thing I used out of the whole bag was a tiny tub of bottom cream and a free nappy (because I ran out in hospital).

The amount of waste (all those ads) is appalling. Did you know they used to be Bounty boxes instead of bags? Much better for the recycling!

I stick all that free stuff on Trade Me which is the NZ equivalent of Ebay. It sells well presumably to people who have already decided they like the product.

Doesn't sound like i'm missing out on much then! Perhaps i wont bother with them after all.

The toddler pack gets worse. DS is 15 months so presumably that is the general age they send the stuff to everyone:-

Toilet roll and baby toothpaste the only useful things.

Usual unnecessary, ad-soaked leaflets go straight into recycling.

Diet chocolate bar (for DC or me?????)(Inference: Podgy mum, now your child is toddling, no excuse not to get your baby lard off?)

Horlicks (Inference: toddler? No Fecking sex life then.)

Capri Sun (Inference: Toddlers will drink additives from a straw - er no, actually, my DS quite happy with a cup of water. Plus the Guideline Nutrition on the pack starts at Age 4 - so I presume not recommended to give to 15mo? Like I would anyway - I'll just stick with giving him fresh fruit?)

Guarana Energy Drink - (Inference: if you can only get to sleep with Horlicks, you or your DC are high on orange concentrate and choc, you'll need some 'invigoration' to keep up with the little blighter. Except the additional label says 'not suitable for children, bf mothers, women who are pregnant or for those sensitive to caffeine'. So that is most parents ruled out then. But hey, why would a mother of a toddler be preg or bf...of course, it's the Horlicks, no sex life...)

What is the point ?????????????????

I had to pick up green notes myself and when I said I didn't want the pack that went with it felt as if I had breached some bounty pack etiquette. The only good ones are where you get the free samples as you can take them in your nappy bag. The rest goes in the re-cycling bin.

The newborn nappies were useful for my chihuahua when she had diorreah.

Sudocream was used on dh and the fairy washing tablets went in the bin as we cant use them.

LMAO @ NBG!!!!

When I was a new mum >> Bounty bags were BOXES! And you got a full size Kamilosan and a full size Sudocreme, and a full size box of wet wipes. I managed to blag two boxes by staying in an extra day due to DD not latching on properly.

I ate the baby food as it was better than the hospital grub
I still have my pot of sudocream it was also the only thing that got put near my baby

That sudocreme is the bee's knees for zapping spots.

Agree with you Lizzer. Have you read A LIfe's Work by Rachel Cusk. She is v witty on Emma's diary, the whole bounty pack etc.

The big plasic wipe box is great for keeping my washable wipes in! the nappy rash cream is hanging around in a box together with the free bottle on johnsons in an 'I'll never use these but can't abide waste' kind of way and the rest is in the bin. I got mine late and I'd already applied for child benefit online anyway. I think I had about 3 different washing tablet packs though, that has all been used when I ran out. They do have a huge amount of rubbish in them.

I keep the washing tablets because they are FAB for scrubbing burned on food out of pots and pans.

Jar food is terrific for picnics.

The baby wash/shampoo is great for washing pets or your car.

I keep a stash of baby powder in the girls' sand pit and beach stuff. Dust it on child, and all the sand is easy to get off.

actually I thought they were useful, yes there is a lot of bumph in them there are full size products in the ones from hospital, good to try them out to see if you like them.

The Bounty weaning pack good too but then I was not adverse to feeding my children formula milk and jars (ps they are all healthy strong children, never did them any harm! )

Just a warning about the information you give out on the bounty forms - they have started cold calling and give the hard sell to say the least (some saving scheme for babies) Got very upset by one woman who wouldn't take no for an answer, and was very upset about the whole thing in the few weeks post-birth .