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Original poster

Are Bounty reps on maternity wards still a thing?

67 replies

PirateWeasel · 12/07/2018 15:34

I saw a thread on AIBU from 2016 talking about this and how awful it is, and I wondered if it still happens? None of my friends who've had babies recently have mentioned it so perhaps it's dying out or banned now? It flipping should be banned if it isn't - I couldn't get over the cheek of it when I first read about it in that thread! Angry

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surreygirl1987 · 12/07/2018 15:50

Curious! What do they do?? Your post has me intrigued!

butlerswharf · 12/07/2018 15:54

It's still going!!

OneEpisode · 12/07/2018 15:59

And Bounty still has a promo on the actual Mat B1 form. It was on my colleagues’s.

Original poster
PirateWeasel · 12/07/2018 16:00

No way, it's STILL happening?! Surreygirl, it's where sales people from Bounty go around maternity wards trying to flog new mums photos and other random stuff and gather their data for trying to flog them more stuff later on. It's awful! The mums are tired and vulnerable and in a lot of pain in many cases, and it's totally taking advantage. Not to mention intruding on the first few hours of bonding with the baby. I can't believe it was ever permitted in the first place! The old Hattie Jacques-type matrons of the 1950s would never have let them through the door!

OP posts:
Thatsnotmypresident · 12/07/2018 16:06

I pretended I was asleep when they came round my ward thanks to prewarning on mn but I heard them doing a seriously hard sell in the next bay - the couple said they didn't have the money so she told them to give her the card details and they'd post date a payment for pay day! Just not taking no for an answer and pressuring. They sell your data to all and sundry as well as ripping you off.

SardinesAreYum · 12/07/2018 16:10

I also cant' believe they're still at it.

You are extremely vulnerable often after a baby and they let these hard sell people at you - what are they thinking? So many horror stories.

I was on opiates after a CS and high as a kite when one came trying to flog me stuff - how exactly is that OK? Even if you're not on drugs you're likely to be in pain / very tired / emotionally frazzled / on a high from it all / and in many different states that all make you vulnerable to a salesperson applying pressure.

I can't think why this is considered to be reasonable. I can't think why at all.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 12/07/2018 16:12

Yes still happening when I had my son 10 months ago. I've never had a problem with them with my four children. I found them to and respectful. If you don't want your baby photographed they will move on.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 12/07/2018 16:13

They don't sell stuff there on the ward. You get a pack with freebies I and photo taken. You pay for photos later

CoolGirlsNeverGetAngry · 12/07/2018 16:14

Yep, there was a thread about it a few weeks ago. It’s bloody shocking.

Celebelly · 12/07/2018 16:14

I'll be briefing my DP about this. Seems v unethical.

SardinesAreYum · 12/07/2018 16:15

In YOUR experience, chocolate.

Read some of the old threads on here for other experiences.

Polly2345 · 12/07/2018 16:20

Yep. I told them where to go as I'd had prior warning, but the poor lady next to me wound up buying stuff there and then (def paid for it at the time) , then was upset about it afterwards.

Original poster
PirateWeasel · 12/07/2018 16:21

Did anyone get warned by their midwife about this? Probably not if the NHS are getting a cut of the profits for letting them have access to the wards. If I hadn't stumbled across that old thread I wouldn't have even known it happened! As it is, at least I can say on my birth notes that I don't want them near me, and like @Celebelly, tell DH to kick them out if they insist.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 12/07/2018 16:21

Yep. It's really grim. There was a really pushy lady trying to sell the Bounty photos thing to me when I was having a really stressful time establishing breastfeeding. It's so so wrong.

Having said that, my friends who did the Bounty thing do have really lovely photos of their babies. I have photos but they're not as pristine as the professional ones as they're taken on phones and DD is either being held or in her cot rather than on a white cushion!

Mummyme87 · 12/07/2018 16:22

My midwives were made very clear bounty were banned from my room , both times.

womcombat · 12/07/2018 16:31

What do they sell? I got given a free pack but that's it, but I had a private room both times.

BE18mum · 12/07/2018 16:35

I was in a shared ward (May this year) so couldn’t avoid them but the woman took no for an answer first time so not too much of a bother. I got the pack with the child benefit form on but said no to the photo shoot. They did email me about a month after asking why I’d declined the photography though.

Confidenceknocked · 12/07/2018 16:38

I had bounty with my first one (2014) and looking back it was so unethical! She took loads of pictures then uploaded them onto a soundtrack and played a video of them all with ‘isn’t she lovely’ playing over it. I cried and gave her £100 for all the key rings etc.

Had my DS this year and luckily there wasn’t one in sight. It should be banned for sure!

WilliowGreen · 12/07/2018 16:40

I had a private room I was told the hearing screening lady was coming round. The Bounty lady came in and started asking for i information about my baby. Name address and birth weight we I let her have him it was only then I realised that she was taking a photo of him and not testing his hearing. DH made her delete all photos and personal info from her system.

I should have asked her what she was doing but I was still in shock from giving birth. I was upset afterwards that I handed my baby to a stranger without checking who she was. I don't think this should be allowed.

Chocolatecoffeeaddict · 12/07/2018 16:40

Sardines oh bore off. Bounty reps do not flog stuff to patients in bed. Ever. Now toddle off now 👋

ASucculentchinesemeal · 12/07/2018 16:44

Spot the bounty rep Grin

MyBreadIsEggy · 12/07/2018 16:46

A school friend of mine had a baby last week and posted the preview, watermarked bounty photos of her son - I commented “please tell me you didn’t need fork out for prints”.......she did Hmm
They tried it when my dd was born 3 years ago. I pulled my curtains round when I saw her wandering into the ward bay, and she actually opened them and just strolled in. Luckily I have a great resting bitch face, said a firm “No” and she didn’t come back.

CoodleMoodle · 12/07/2018 16:52

Yep, still a thing! Had one come with DD (now 4), then one with DS who was born on Sunday. Both times we just said no thanks and they left. Different hospitals but roughly the same experience.

Stephisaur · 12/07/2018 16:52

@BE18Mum I'd probably end up telling them that the baby was too ugly Grin that's my sense of humour though...

If they try to get me after labour I imagine they'll just get a "fuck off" out of me! I can't imagine I'll be in a good mood!

olicat · 12/07/2018 16:59

Yep I had this and in my experience they were super pushy and did not take no for an answer. I was kept in for 5 days and they came around every day despite me saying I wasn't interested. I'd been having some pooing problems after birth and had just had an accident, and I came out of the toilet quite upset and could hear my baby crying. The bounty rep intercepted me to try again to get me to agree to the photo shoot and I literally said 'I have just pooed myself and the baby needs feeding, so no' - she didn't turn a hair and said I needed to sign up otherwise I wouldn't get my child benefit forms 😒

This thread has reminded me I want to make a complaint to PALS as I found my postnatal care great overall but the bounty people were a weird anomaly!!