Baby Carrier Review : Anoona

After an introduction to babywearing in my last post, I will be reviewing a few babywearing carriers in my blog to help you understand better.

I had started my babywearing journey right from when Raisha was 2 months old. I had chosen a hybrid wrap to wear her as she was a newborn and there were not really any full buckles in the market for newborns. A wrap or ring sling was suggested for a new born. I loved the wrap, but Raisha was never comfortable in it. I had also taken it with me during a flight journey, but it was not helpful as the baby used to scream her lungs out once wrapped.

Why did I pick Anoona?

That was the time when Soul was planning to launch their newborn to toddler Soft structured baby carrier (SSC) Anoona. There was a lot of expectations and recommendations for Anoona by many babywearing experienced moms. So I decided to go for it even though it seemed expensive to me that time. I was determined to wear my baby and was very much interested in trying something that could work. So when Soul launched Anoona in their site, I was among the first ones to place my order. I had selected a hot favorite color ‘LAPIS’ which continued to go out of stock consistently 🙂

A brief about the carrier:

‘Anoona’ is a kannada word meaning ‘one without flaws’. It is recommended for babies from newborn to toddlerhood stage i.e. from 3.2 – 20 kg weight range. Anoona which was launched first and the one which I bought is a 100% cotton material, now they have launched Anoona in various other material like linen, khaadi etc to suit different climates. Anoona has adjustable straps right from shoulder to mid-panel and waist which can be adjusted as the child grows. There is a fold-able neck support at the top of the panel to support neck of newborns. Shoulder straps can be worn crossed(‘X’) or straight (‘H’) option to fit adults from petite to plus-sizes.

Baby can be worn in Anoona in different ways as below:

Reference image taken from Soul

Newborn Carry: In the new born carry, the panel adjusters will be set to the minimum settings and neck support on the top of the panel would be unfolded. The shoulder straps can be worn crossed (‘X’) for a better fit with newborns. I have used this carry for Raisha since she was 3 months old. She took some time to get adjusted to be carried in a carrier but after a couple of tries and some adjustments, she was comfortable enough to fall asleep in it during our walks.

Front carry:Similar to the above one but with may be the mid-panel widened to second setting and neck panel folded. I used this carry when Raisha was around 5 to 6 months old. This is the most comfortable position for her to sleep while being carried.

Forward facing carry: Here the baby will be facing outwards and can explore things like the person carrying the baby. I started wearing my baby in this position after she was 10 months old. She loves this carry the most as she gets to see things around her. This position is best for babies who have just started exploring things. She remains calm for longer duration in this position, when she gets sleepy I shift her to the front carrying position so that she can rest her head on my chest and sleep. This position is my go to when she gets cranky to be carried.

Hip carry: I have never tried this position, but it replicates the traditional way of women carrying their baby on their hip.

Back carry: I have yet to explore this carry and I will be trying this carry next. This carry is recommended for slightly older babies whose height is such that they can look over the shoulders when back carried. This also is a favorite carry among curious toddlers.

Some extras:

 

Anoona has a small pocket in the waist band which can be used to keep small essentials. I keep my house key and a napkin in it while going out. They have also provided a detachable hood which proves very useful against sun or when baby is sleeping. I love that the hood in Anoona can be removed unlike in their other full buckles. All soul carriers come with a linen cover to store the carrier when not in use.

Getting used to the different adjustments can take a little while, but with some practice you will be able to put on and remove the carrier on the go. My tip would be to set all the settings to the minimum at the start and then loosen it as required to get the correct settings. Please keep in mind the points I had mentioned in my last post about how to wear your baby. Soul does send a manual along with their carriers with details on how to use the carrier and its settings which is very helpful for a newbie.

Wash Routine:

Soul recommends to spot clean the carrier when it gets dirty. Otherwise, the carriers are hand and machine washable. Use a mild detergent and shade dry.

Safety:

Soul carriers have been ergonomically tested and are safe for carrying your little ones. Soul carriers have elastic hoops around the waist and shoulder straps for extra security.

My Thoughts on Anoona:

Technically Anoona has been the first carrier which has worked for me and it has been inseparable from our travels since then. I have carried my baby in Anoona everywhere, be it for our evening walks, trips to our favourite destinations or airports. I have managed to travel alone with my baby with the help of Anoona. With Anoona by my side, I literally do not have to look for any other carrier at all as it can be used until the end of my babywearing journey. Also the various options of carry that Anoona offers is great. If you are planning to buy a carrier and have a newborn, I would definitely recommend buying Anoona. It is a great investment as you do not have to look for any other carriers throughout the babywearing stage.

Price:

Rs.5750 for the cotton variant.

Link to purchase:

You can purchase the featured cotton Anoona here

If you want to buy any other carrier from their site, do not forget to contact me to get your discount code 🙂

Disclaimer: I am a brand ambassador for Soul Slings , but I had bought Anoona even before I was a part of Soul, so you can trust that this review is 100% unbiased 🙂

Will be back with another post super soon until then happy babywearing 🙂