I'm not excited about the books and goodies in the bounty bag

[LizzieMum]

I've had my first few maternity appointments at the clinic and at one of them the midwife gave me a promotional bag called a 'bounty bag'.  It's full of brochures and a book about pregnancy published by the government.  It's got little samples in it too of nappy cream and a disposable nappy etc etc.  

I opened it when I first got it and looked at the stuff inside and haven't looked at it again.  I'm preferring to read the information in the Dr Sears baby book over the commercial things in my bag.

It's promoted in Australia though as a goodie freebie bag that new mums are excited to receive at their first appointment, but for me, I would still prefer to look at the sears book :-)  

[SpiderMonkey]

I'm with you on that one! My first appointment I had, the clinic gave me much of the same commercial 'stuff.' Included was a goverment book on pregnancy that actually says things like "MSG and aspartame aren't harmful to a growing fetus"

Needless to say, I immediatly did my research and am now seeing midwives and am planning a homebirth...  Just trying to avoid all the unnessecary things that are shoved down our throats everyday!

[Dandy Lion]

My insurance company sent me a book on pregnancy that I immediately threw away.

[Janel47]

We get something like that in the US if you give birth at a hospital.  They're put together by formula companies usually though and come with formula samples and a diaper bag and magazines and stuff.  I thought it was kind of cool with my first, but frustrating/angering with my second.  Like women need more incentive to try formula!  The info is all very mainstream and what you would expect... vaccine schedules, keep your appointments, etc etc.  Plus a little breastfeeding book that was basically "how to breastfeed your baby the formula way!" that directly led to my underfeeding my daughter, her crying non-stop, losing weight, and having the worst latch in the world.  I almost burned my bag with DD2 except that it was from a baby friendly hospital, so not sponsored by formula companies. 

I'd just stick to Dr Sears if I were you!  Better to get advice from a voice you trust than from an enticing little goodie bag, right?

[cameragirl]

I got a bag of information from my doctor, and DH carried out it out to the car. I don't even know where it went... Hospitals in the US are getting better about the formula bags. I haven't been offered one by my old OB or this one, and the hospital didn't send me home with one when I had DD. Most of the hospitals around here are or are working on being certified as Baby Friendly, though.

Oddly enough, I was given a big Similac sample pack when I went to get a gender scan at a private business that does the 3d/4d ultrasounds. I was going to donate it to the food bank, but it got dropped and the seal broke. I also got a pack of "goodies" from Motherhood Maternity's outlet store. Some of it was good like coupons for nursing bras, photos, etc. It also had a pacifier, and only one coupon for formula. For some reason I randomly get small cans of formula in the mail as well as formula checks. Those go to friends that can't (or won't) breastfeed. I don't want them in the house when I start nursing again.