A is for Anmol, my very first baby wearing companion: I got these around the time they released their basic Soft Structured Carrier (SSC) – the most affordable one in the babywearing market, then. All I wanted was the baby carrier functionality for short walks around the apartment and so without any further research, I’d gotten this. It did take a while for the baby to get used to wearing — but once we crossed that phase, it was fun and liberating since I had my hands free to do other stuff like carrying groceries or essentials. An Anmol walk was part of our everyday affair and my time to bond with the baby and get some exercise in. Felt good. At one point of time, the baby would simply bask in the glory of the great outdoors and not utter a word and simply observe everything that was happening around him.

Special shout-out to an all supportive spouse, who loved it too:

Fast forward 3 months, I got hooked to babywearing (ring slings for the indoor carries) and got an Anmol Roshini in a Diwali contest and it was then I realized the true awesomeness of a Full Wrap Converted SSC – so light, airy and oh so comfy! Overall, Anmol SSC have good shoulder padding and are very comfortable to wear, even for a newbie. The hood is nicely done and has no extra ends hanging – I love the design compared to other SSCs in the market. The hood supports the baby’s neck when tucked in. It’s got a side pocket that can fit your keys or phone. A design win!

You are welcome to come try it if you are in Chennai. There are many babywearing meetups that happen all over india. For more info, do join Babywearing India, a FB support group, that is extremely helpful.

The benefits of babywearing are enormous. I’d urge every parent to try this, for soon will come the day when your baby will refuse to be worn and carried. There are various options even DIY ones – Do your research and pick what suits your need the most.

A is also for Amazon : This was my first place to get everything. With a Prime subscription, the speed and customer service is just delightful, that I don’t really check on their competitors before buying from there. Best for buying NB baby stuff like diapers, wipes, etc at the cheapest rates. With global trader opened up, I wouldn’t mind paying import fees to get the better brands from overseas too.

A is for Aliexpress: For all the quirky stuff, organizers and other baby stuff that are overpriced, here in India. If you plan well ahead, then you should totally buy from here. I wish I’d bought the many many nursery decor stuff from here, before baby AZ arrived. There are tons of pretty options there when you search for ‘kids’ , ‘nursery’ etc.,. To date, I have bought a couple of toys, organizers etc from there. Total value for money.