I am NOT bringing this up to start a formula debate, but I thought that we as mamas should all know who we are buying from and make educated decisions.

I was in the Motherhood outlet today to buy a couple of nursing items.

When I got to the checkout, the girl asked me if I wanted to sign up for some "program" where I would get freebies in the mail. I looked at the sign on the counter that she had pointed at to show me more about the offer and it was sponsored by Similac, Huggies and Parents magazine. It stated that I would get samples from all of them. I told her that I wouldn't be signing up because I don't WANT formula samples.

I then asked her if she happened to have a flyer that I could take home about the promotion and she said no, they just had that sign up.

I thought this was interesting and it was the first I had heard about this "alliance". Good to know.

Erin :)

That doesn't suprise me. They've been selling people's info to formula companies for a while now. :rolleyes:

*barf*

I didn't have time to look around, I was too busy initialing a thousand receipts saying that I understood that I could not return undergarments. ???

See what us cloth diapering, breastfeeding mothers are driving them to?

5% decrease in sales per year... :D

Jessica

When i went they were pretty clear that they were with huggies and Similac.. At least they were honest with me unlike Kaiser who I swear sold my info during the lamaze sign ups :mad: Or I love the BFing diaper bags they give with formula samples in them and all the info is from formula companies.. Yeah they want me to BF :thumbsup:
I know I will get them... *sigh*
But what do I do with the samples? I need to find a woman's shelter? I hope they take them!

This has been going on for at least 3 years because I remember hearing about their "alliance" when I was pregnant with Jonah.

Motherhood was the only place I gave my name/address/due date to (because they required it to make the sale and I needed a bathing suit ASAP) and I got drowned in formula samples. I figured out that they were the culprits (after falsely accusing my Birth Center- :o oops! ) and called them to ask if they'd sold my name and they told me all about their "partners". It made me really mad. To this day I get diaposable diapers in the mail, even though we've moved!

It was the same way for us, the only place that I signed my name and address when I was pregnant the last time was at Motherhood and all of the sudden I started getting formula coupons and samples.

I have been in need of a new nursing bra, but I do not think that I will be going back there to purchase one.

I always knew motherhood sucks!

they've been doing it at least 5 years, cause when I was PG with AJ they sucked me in and I got tons of stuff
with ethan, I refused to give them my info, and I had it out with one of the clerks, she just kept saying she needed the info to sell the clothes. I said I was unlisted and refused, she said she couldn't make the sale without the info, and I aid I WAS NOT giving it, period. She got all huffy, and I explained that I did not want to get signed on all the lists, and she couldn't understand why I didn't want the *free stuff.* So I told her if she HAD to put in an address, that she should put her own if she thought the free stuff as so great. That shut her up, LOL!

They cannot force you to give your info, you can refuse.

Their clothes suck anyway.

Originally posted by MyChild'sGarden
Their clothes suck anyway.

ROFL!

Erin

.

It's ironic, isn't it? Selling clothes for breastfeeding mommas and then helping formula companies to sabotage them....I guess that wouldn't affect their sales much considering that their clothes are such frump that I wouldn't wear them anyways! I don't understand their sizing! I swim in a size small at that store. Their return policy also annoys me.

Because I went in there a couple of months ago and was looking at their nursing tops etc... The sales clerk told me they didn't reccomend that I buy more than 1-2 items, just in case I couldn't nurse. When I informed her that I had already sucessfully nursed 7 babies and expected to do so again, she told me "that didn't matter, that this baby could be colicky". I told her that 3 of my babies had been colicky and I had nursed them anyway. It went on and on and I finally just left. She kept telling me about all the people she knew who couldn't nurse and why etc... Like the baby could be a preemie and you couldn't nurse a preemie!! I was so ill, but it was clear that she was totally closed minded and was only leading up to an argument. I was amazed that she would be actually stopping a sale, but maybe there is a reason for that. Even when I told her I was a former LLL leader (hoping she might listen a little to what I was saying for the sake of future first time moms planning to nurse), it went in one ear and out the other. I was really gentle and respectful about what I said, but it made no difference whatsoever.
It angers me that someone who didn't even have children would be undermining a new moms desire/intention to breastfeel before they even give birth. :mad: Our culture concerning babies drives me NUTS!

oh, wow, naturalmama - that is beyond frustrating! They must not get paid on commission, that's for sure!

I always refuse loudly to give them my information and proceed to loudly tell the clerk that I don't wish to have my information sold. Making sure that anyone else in the store can hear me. Tends to shut them up. I also point out that I wouldn't be buying nursing clothes if I wanted their stupid formula samples!

Hmmm... I think I bought a couple of things there when I was pg, but don't remember having to give them any info. I didn't receive any samples of anything until about a month ago, we suddenly received two Pampers (or Huggies?) samples. Well, Lucy's 2 1/2 and potty trained, and so is her slightly older cousin, so they're a little late!:D

I guess most people do like getting free stuff and don't realize they're being sabotaged. (I never told you the story about someone I met who was so in love with her OB because she induced everyone at 37 weeks because "after that they're just gaining weight anyway".) This is the culture we live in. I don't have those grocery store cards to save money, either, but then I don't shop at those stores anyway. I would walk out of a store and not buy if they told me I had to give them my name and address just to make a sale.

Originally posted by spookygirl
I always refuse loudly to give them my information and proceed to loudly tell the clerk that I don't wish to have my information sold. Making sure that anyone else in the store can hear me. Tends to shut them up. I also point out that I wouldn't be buying nursing clothes if I wanted their stupid formula samples!

:thumbsup: Right on!! I hope that I will never have to get another maternity item from them ever again!! I will buy mine from the Salvation Army:p

Hey, I went to Goodwill before we went camping and bought a pair of lightweight sweatcapris, denim shorts, a striped tee, and a brand new Liz Lange silk top for $3.49 each :)

They asked me if they could sign me up. When I declined, the salesclerk protested that they would save me a lot of money. I said "Actually, I don't use formula, disposables, baby food, or plastic baby toys". She gave me a surprised "oh!" :)

Cary

Thrift stores are a great solution to lots of things~ you're not participating in disposable mass-consumption culture and not giving a dime to those who produce clothing in sweatshops (they might have originally been made in sweatshops, but the manufacturers aren't profiting if you buy second-hand).:thumbsup:

great response :)

I signed up for all of them, I like getting stuff in the mail :) I held onto the formulas for 10 months, just in case I needed them, and then donated them (in the holiday drives). It actually came in helpful.. I didn't have any pumped milk and ended up in the hospital for 2 days with gallbladder surgeries (I had gallstones blocking my bowel so had to have a second surgery). By the time I knew I was going to have to have the surgeries, I was so ill and so dehydrated that after Josh nursed I had nothing left to pump. So.. he got formula for two days, hated every bit of it, but we didn't really have any options.

With Lindsey I kept them for about 6 months, got rid of them all and then stupidly believed my OB that if I didn't wean her when I was pregnant with Josh I'd have all sorts of problems and he'd be in danger .. so I ended up having to buy formula and wished I'd kept it (she weaned at 11 months)

I buy motherwear stuff occasionally from Babies R Us, but I hate the stores. I went into one when I was pregnant with Lindsey... I was SO excited, we'd gone through 10 years of infertility and I was FINALLY pregnant... and was in there daydreaming mostly. The girl says 'oh, are you shopping for a gift for someone?' I told her I was pregnant and her response was "well, you don't look it" and then she turned around and walked off. I was so upset. I did go in there and buy a maternity dress for Eric's company xmas party that year though.

Gee I thought I was the only nut that doesn't give out my HOME ADDRESS to total strangers..... go figure LOL!

I got one shirt there and they basically ignored me, terrible CS for anyone that didn't look like the cover of Pregnancy. Too bad, I had a lot of money to spend.

Nice to know I'm not alone :D

Quote: When I told them I had already given this info the last time I bought something, they said they needed it again or they couldn't complete the transaction!!!

That's total BS. I tell them I don't give it out and it's illegal to try and force me to.

Originally posted by naturalmama
Because I went in there a couple of months ago and was looking at their nursing tops etc... The sales clerk told me they didn't reccomend that I buy more than 1-2 items, just in case I couldn't nurse. When I informed her that I had already sucessfully nursed 7 babies and expected to do so again, she told me "that didn't matter, that this baby could be colicky". I told her that 3 of my babies had been colicky and I had nursed them anyway. It went on and on and I finally just left. She kept telling me about all the people she knew who couldn't nurse and why etc... Like the baby could be a preemie and you couldn't nurse a preemie!! I was so ill, but it was clear that she was totally closed minded and was only leading up to an argument. I was amazed that she would be actually stopping a sale, but maybe there is a reason for that. Even when I told her I was a former LLL leader (hoping she might listen a little to what I was saying for the sake of future first time moms planning to nurse), it went in one ear and out the other. I was really gentle and respectful about what I said, but it made no difference whatsoever.
It angers me that someone who didn't even have children would be undermining a new moms desire/intention to breastfeel before they even give birth. :mad: Our culture concerning babies drives me NUTS!

Wow! I would have said something like "Your ignorance amazes me!"
Some people are just so stupid:mad:

Originally posted by Proud2bemama

Also, my mom bought me a few things as Christmas gifts from there when I was pregnant with my oldest, and paid by check. She started getting tons of formula samples in the mail and all sorts of other baby related advertisements.

OH really?! You know last time I was pg my mom got the same and I had no idea how they got her address! Now I am going to ask her because I am sure she bought something there :rolleyes:

You know that happened to me too. I remember posting about it a LONG time ago. LOL. 4 or so years now. I went in to get a few nursing tops as Justin was a year old and I "wore" out the few nursing tops I had when he was first-born (their stuff does not last long, lol). I remember the salelady telling me I could not return the tops after a period, even with tags and a receipt...and I told her I was nursing now. She looked at Justin and said "Oh, I assumed you must be pg, he's pretty old to be nursing! Sorry!"....and then she walked away! LOL. That was the first time anyone had ever commented on nursing a child 1 and over to me......I mean you hear comments that get made to others, but this was the first time it happened to *me*! I struggled to nurse in public and nursing was a "private" thing for me, for a long time, due to past sexual abuse. So her comment really bothered me. I remember leaving there feeling like wow, maybe I was wrong to want to nurse, and he was too old. :rolleyes: Silly, I knew better, but her comment just bothered me. I ended up not buying a thing there and got some gently used Motherwear stuff instead. (o: