Motherhood Maternity vent!

[mrsdocmartin]

So I went to Motherhood Maternity in Rochester MN with a pg friend today. My nipple has a major bite wound so I picked up some breast shells for sore nipples. After we left, I noticed a package in me bag. It was a platex bottle! Way to undermine a mama with sore nipples!

[rmzbm]

Wow! How "generous" of them! I'd be tempted to take it back.

[mrsdocmartin]

I know! We were pretty far away fro the store once I noticed though!

[frontierpsych]

motherhood maternity gave me a "gift bag" when I was pregnant with DD. Lots of coupons for sposies, info on cord blood banking, formula ads and coupons, and a couple breast pads and some lasinoh. Not the worst in the world, but you'd think if they knew you were breastfeeding they'd give you stuff for, well, breastfeeding!

[acannon]

Originally Posted by frontierpsych

motherhood maternity gave me a "gift bag" when I was pregnant with DD. Lots of coupons for sposies, info on cord blood banking, formula ads and coupons, and a couple breast pads and some lasinoh. Not the worst in the world, but you'd think if they knew you were breastfeeding they'd give you stuff for, well, breastfeeding!

I also got that free gift bag. They asked me if I wanted it, though, and I said yes, so I can't complain. I ended up throwing all of that stuff away, though, because I found out I didn't need it. I was going to buy bottles just in case he had trouble breast feeding, but I never had to.

[srlpenny]

Motherhood is TERRIBLE at this stuff...when you give them your name, due date, etc. it all goes directly to companies for "free stuff" ...including formula companies.
i've stopped shopping there unless absolutely necessary, and have refused to give any info or accept any bags in the 2 or 3 times i've had to in my last 3 pregnancies.
Boy does that get you a look, when you turn down they're "free stuff"

[Ophelia]

On a side note, I stopped shopping there because of their sucky return policy. You cannot get your $$ back for returns, only store credit (even with tags still attached!). I bought a defective shirt, couldn't get $$ back for that either. It stinks because I really liked their tops.

If you like their clothes you can also get some of them at Babies R Us and I think Kohl's has them now too. Good way to get around that stupid return policy! I still hate the fact that the $$ is going to them but it's hard to find good maternity clothing.

[Twinklefae]

Wow, that's unreal. Doesn't happen at the store here. They're very breastfeeding friendly I've always found. (Although I think that's local attitudes and not company policy...)

Sorry you had to deal with that. Yuck.

[angelpie545]

Ugh I've heard of stories where they wouldn't sell a product because the customer refused to give out the information requested (phone number, due date, ext.). I've never shopped there but I'm not sure I would given the way they do business. :

[mrsfussypants]

I haven't shopped there since they gave me a "free" subscription to Parenting magazine. It was a total pain to cancel it before they started harassing me for money...

[tallulahma]

ahhhh, THAT must be why parenting showed up here for a year....

maternity stores anger me.... I hate when I find a sposie sample in the bag.

how much must all those samples waste?????

[Ruthla]

I remember a friend had purchased some maternity clothes at about 4m pg- then miscarried before she had a chance to wear any of it. She obviously no longer had any need for maternity or nursing stuff, so a store credit was usesless!

I think I ended up eBaying the stuff (she was too distraught to deal with it.)

Now I really wonder what they'd do if somebody who wasn't pg wanted to shop in their store. I carry most of my weight in my belly, so if I wore pants I would get my best fit in a maternity store.

I almost want to go shopping for some just so I can check out and tell them "oh, no, I'm not pregnant, I'm just fat!"

[GuildJenn]

Originally Posted by angelpie545

Ugh I've heard of stories where they wouldn't sell a product because the customer refused to give out the information requested (phone number, due date, ext.). I've never shopped there but I'm not sure I would given the way they do business. :

I shopped there while pregnant with my daughter. She died 4 days after her full-term birth. Then I could not get off the list, so every so often, I would get a package with the next size diaper samples in it, etc. I had to go to those companies directly.

With my son when they asked me at the counter (I wasn't planning to shop there but it was near my work and I'd splattered my lunch on my shirt before a meeting) I told the clerk EXACTLY that and she rang up my purchase without info - or comment. So it is possible, but you may have to be really nasty about it.

[CallMeMommy]

I was just at Motherhood at the Legends in KCK and got a Playtex bottle in my "gift bag", too.

[mrsdocmartin]

Originally Posted by GuildJenn

I shopped there while pregnant with my daughter. She died 4 days after her full-term birth. Then I could not get off the list, so every so often, I would get a package with the next size diaper samples in it, etc. I had to go to those companies directly.

With my son when they asked me at the counter (I wasn't planning to shop there but it was near my work and I'd splattered my lunch on my shirt before a meeting) I told the clerk EXACTLY that and she rang up my purchase without info - or comment. So it is possible, but you may have to be really nasty about it.

Wow, I am SO sorry you had to go through that.

[muppet729]

Not about Motherhood- but at K-Mart they always give me a "free coupon" when I buy diapers that's for formula. I always tell the clerk that I'd rather have a coupon for chocolate or somethign for ME since I bf instead of ff :grin

[diamond lil]

I got the "gift" bag about a month ago, and I had some similar things in mine. I threw most of it out, but I did save the Lowe's giftcard included. It was 20.00 off a 50.00 purchase, or some similar "project starter" promotion. I will likely use it when I buy paint and brushes for baby's room.

ETA: Oh, and now I get some "American Baby" magazine in the mail. I assume it is from them. I recycled my first copy. The only parenting magazine I need is Mothering!!!

[NoliMum]

My DD is 2 and I still get American Baby and BabyTalk every single month. I usually flip through them in the bathroom and then discard.

I hate Motherhood Maternity. I think they are banking on the fact that they are the only exclusively maternity store in more places. I know it's hard to find any selection here, except the few tiny sections in department stores for maternity. There is definitely a shortage of nursing products!! When I bought LilyPadz there I was so worried they wouldn't work, and I'd be out $20 without even a merchandise credit option! (They said it was a final sale because of the hygiene factor... although nursing bras are going to be up against the nipple, too... which I might add is NOT DIRTY!!!!

I bought most of my maternity clothes from Target or Old Navy, and my bras from Target. (I really like their Gillian and O'Malley nursing bras.) Target sells Lansinoh stuff and Medela pumps. I don't think I walked into Motherhood more than 2 or 3 times during my pregnancy/early nursing days and only bought the one item.

[swimswamswum]

I had it out with the lady at Motherhood when I was pregnant. She wouldn't leave me alone when I told her that I didn't want to give them my contact info so they could send me formula and crap. She was really rude and I kept saying no. Finally she said, well, they're going to give it to you at the hospital, so you might as well get it from us. When I said that I wasn't going to the hospital, she didn't say anything. I think the concept confused her.

I was so mad about that interaction. I still am. I wrote the company to complain and never heard from them. I will NEVER buy anything from them again. I should have returned my purchase on the spot. They pimp themselves out to every company that will give them money and totally undermine nursing. I get so upset thinking about it!!!!! :

[Kate'smommy]

The woman at our Motherhood Maternity store had no problem when I declined to give my information. She said she had to give me the coupon pack, but I was surprised to find no formula ads or coupons in it.