I get email almost every day asking me to review this and that. Unfortunately I don’t do reviews unless I use the product, as I don’t have the bandwidth.

Just to fill you in, we’ve moved houses and had a new baby at the same time. So what with housework and taking care of the newborn with an extremely active 2 year 7 month old I have been keeping very busy.

This time with baby #2 I have been wearing him since he was a few days old and been nursing in the wrap all the time. I have no idea how many times he nurses and what are the intervals because I have stopped counting. It’s liberating and a great experience.

I reached out to Rashmee who makes Anmol wrap to let me try out her new woven wrap as I have fallen in love with woven wraps, and she was kind enough to send me one when baby was couple of weeks old.

I have been wearing baby A (born 5^th April) in the woven wrap every day post 4 pm whether it’s to do work around the house, take N to the park, or just nurse. This is because the baby has long naps when put down during the day but come evening he just wants to be held or nurse. Sometimes he suckles non-stop for hours in the wrap and it really helps to get things done.

I have written earlier on the many benefits of babywearing and why I intended to do it from the beginning with baby #2.

So lets get to the review:

The Anmol wrap is handwoven and uses organic cotton. ‘It’s the cheapest handwoven in the world’ claims Rashmee at Rs 4500 for the size 6 wrap at preorder.

There is something really lovely about the fabric. It’s not thick but still cushiony and feels beautiful on my skin and on the baby’s back. In the May heat of Mumbai we have managed small walks and not felt over heated with the close contact thanks to the breathable fabric.

The colours are gorgeous and can lift your mood in an instant. It comes in three wefts, the crème called Khushi, the tangerine called Amor and the navy blue called Prisha.

The woven wrap in general is very versatile for wearing newborns, to much older children of age 3 and up even, and can be the only carrier you ever own. There are many carries you can do with the woven wrap, front and back carries and each has plenty of variants.

Once you master one or two carries though the woven wrap is a worthy investment. If you have to get only one baby carrier, this could be it if you are expecting a baby or have a young baby. For an older baby I’d suggest an ssc or soft structured carrier as a good investment as it works well for dads too.

Of course machine woven wraps are plenty and dime a dozen (sold mostly abroad) but this one being made at our own back yard in a handloom has it’s own value. These wraps are being hand woven across the country; some by master weavers in order to help preserve this age-old craft in organic cotton and safe for baby natural dyes.

Why Anmol? I’ve met the mom behind this venture and I really feel she has her heart in the right place. Her real intention behind this business is to promote babywearing and the benefits it has for mother and baby first and foremost. Also her hand wovens promote the craft and she ties up with ventures such that benefit society at large like sending her carriers only through mirakle couriers.

I love her passion for helping moms and babies and I’ve used the products, which are only the best quality. Her effort for getting babywearing out there in Mumbai (where majority struggle with prams and non-ergonomic carriers) is quite commendable. I’m so happy that baby wearing is taking off in India and that there are so many nice carriers out there.

Have a look at some pictures of baby A and I.

Note: the baby is lower than ideal in these pictures because most of the time he nurses while worn and this is easy access.

Why a woven wrap when a saree does the same job? Wovens are tested for safety and are strong enough to carry a much older baby or toddler.
Wovens are cumbersome to wear as compared to a hop on and off sling but oh the comfort when you get it right is divine!

Update: Since writing this over a year ago when baby A was a newborn Anmol has launched many more handwoven wraps which are far cheaper than this one and definitely worth the money. I am a huge fan of handwoven wraps and now it’s my favourite carrier for my heavy 16 month old, as it’s supportive and comfortable for a bigger child as well as a tiny newborn, both back and front carries.
There’s one particular wrap that stands out for me called the Reyansh, thanks to the price, the softness, the cushiness and the ease of wrapping. There is also the Satvik which is easier to wrap with than the wraps shown above as well as sturdy and cushiness.
Here I am with the other Anmol handwovens:

reyansh

Satvik

Anmol summer wrap

Lets have your comments. Is the woven wrap on your list of baby things to buy? What’s your top choice of carriers?

Thanks for reading!

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