Anne diamond

[Jomalaldi]

We are just watching pointless and Anne diamond is on. My daughter asked who she was and I explained that she was a tv presenter, who was famous back in the day. I then remembered that she was the one who Lost her baby to SIDS and gave us the advice to put babies on their backs.DD currently cuddling her new son and is almost not believing me that babies were swaddled, put on their tummies and made sure they were warm. I know that there are still babies that die on their backs, and no matter what you do this awful thing still happens. I’m surprised this woman isn’t revered for what she did. Does anyone know if there are other reasons she hasn’t been officially recognized for what she did?

I’ll always remember her son. I think it happened on the birthday of one of her older boys but maybe I imagined that.

I was living abroad when Sebastian died and I remember being so shocked as I didn't think bad things happened to famous people. I sobbed when I saw the tiny coffin. IIRC Sebastian died on his older brothers birthday .

Why she isn't a Dame when other less deserving people have been honoured I do not know.

#MakeAnneDiamondADame.

Thank you Anne Diamond and Sebastian

You might be interesting this thread from last year:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3371837-To-wonder-why-Anne-Diamond-has-still-not-received-the-recognition-she-deserves-after-saving-the-lives-of-1000s-of-babies

I fell pregnant for the first time soon after Sebastian died. She really did save so many lives. Thank you Anne.

I’m fully behind that campaign! I remember the campaign when I was young. I remember several Mums being interviewed and they’d been accused of hurting their babies before SIDS was fully understood. Bad enough it happens, can you imagine how traumatic it would be to be accused of that? She has both saved lives and helped so many parents who had these tragic losses. If there’s a petition I’d sign one.

My sister died of SIDs many years before Sebastian. I have never forgotten what Anne Diamond did. My mum has had to live her whole life knowing that if the advice she had been given had been different her baby might still be alive.

Place marking as I want to sign the petition when it's up.
Thank you Anne and Sebastian.

It happened on her older son's 4th birthday.

In 1989 there was 1545 cot deaths. That's four or five babies every single night of the year. It's horrific.

By 1992 it was 647, less than two a night.

In 2016 the figure was just 219.

@TheQueef maybe that was it - she had been nominated and turned it down. That sounds familiar.

I remember that campaign,what an utterly amazing lady.

You’re right Maddie. It was on her eldest Son Oliver’s 4th Birthday.
Anne Diamond is wonderful strong brave lady. It doesn’t bare even contemplating but If that wAs me. I think I’d have hidden away in a corner and screamed until my dying day. Mind you she had to go on didn’t she for her other boys. I don’t suppose giving up was an option

I remember it so well and I hope she is honoured for her work.

Thanks to AD SIDS is so much rarer now. I wish someone high profile would start campaigning for preventable stillbirth awareness.

I think the current stats are around you are 16 times more likely to suffer stillbirth than cot death.

I think that’s why I hated the new born stage.

Fantastic lady. So many lives saved.

Whilst I absolutely believe that Anne Diamond was instrumental in publicising the Back to Sleep message, I feel very strongly that Professor Peter Fleming, whose research was the basis for the campaign, should also be honoured. You can read more about him here I think what he did was incredible.

Wow Venger ! Those stats are mind blowing.

Your poor mum Didiusfalco

I remember Sebastian's death so well, bless him. 😥. Definitely ready to sign if the petition can be raised.

Anne Diamond’s legacy

Just read this article. I hadn’t realised how much Anne did herself - she wasn’t just a front for the promotions.

1989 1545 SID deaths
1982 647 deaths - just after the campaign
2014 - 128 cases

Well done Anne

I didnt realise this. Amazing. Thankyou Anne Diamond.

She hosted Jeremy Vine show last week, she’s a true professional.
I’d back her getting recognition for what she stands for and what she’s done

Sorry Venger, missed your post but the stats are worth repeating.

Anne Diamond did a lot, as did Prof Peter Flemming, as did the lullaby trust and the NCT and profs on the ground. Anne Diamond was in a privileged position in that she worked in day time TV so could be a spokes person.

I know she spoke about how viciously and callously she was treated by the Sun group of papers and didn't want to deal with them for the campaign.

She deserves official recognition if she wants it. Because she has done so much for so many families that don't even know it. but if she doesn't want the extra insult of them claiming credit when they added to her trauma, she's also perfectly reasonable in rejecting any honour.

In case either of mine would have been a statistic (had I gone with the advice I was given by family at the time) - thank you, Anne, and I am sorry for your pain and I am sorry if the good you have done is tainted for you by the tabloids.

Just noticed your third figure was different to mind. I think the newspaper articles quoted from got it wrong.

Here is a better list of statistics.

Cot deaths per year