Without a Woman: Ann Moore and the Baby Carrier Revolution

When Ann Moore stepped off a plane in Togo in the 1960s as a Peace Corps nurse, she had no idea that an everyday observation would change parenting in America forever. Watching African mothers carry their babies snugly in fabric slings, Moore noticed something remarkable: the babies were calm, secure, and connected to their mothers in a way she had rarely seen in the United States. That simple, human insight would eventually lead her to invent the soft baby carrier and transform the way parents bond with their children.

Back home, Moore struggled to replicate what she had seen. Her newborn daughter kept slipping when Moore tried tying her in a makeshift sling. Drawing on her childhood experience of making toys on a farm in Ohio, and with the help of her mother’s sewing skills, she crafted a simple, practical carrier that allowed her to carry her child hands-free while running errands, riding her bicycle, or cooking. What started as a personal solution quickly turned into a cultural phenomenon.

The Snugli®, as it was aptly named, was more than a convenience; it was a radical idea in 1960s America. Hospitals didn’t encourage parents to stay with their babies, and “bonding” was not yet a mainstream concept. Moore’s invention challenged the status quo, offering a way for parents to nurture closeness while still living active lives. Word spread quickly. Mothers wanted them, and Moore’s mother and other local women began sewing carriers to meet demand. By 1969, Moore had earned a patent, and the Snugli® was becoming a fixture in American parenting culture.

Moore’s innovation didn’t stop with baby carriers. Partnering with her husband, Mike, she applied the same ingenuity to other areas where mobility and care mattered. They founded Air Lift®, creating soft-sided carriers for oxygen tanks and medical instruments, tools that help people live more active, independent lives. The same hands-on, problem-solving approach that worked for babies’ backs now helped people navigate hospitals, hiking trails, and high-tech work sites with safety and ease.

What makes Moore’s story remarkable is not just the objects she created, but the ripple effects of her vision. Babywearing, now standard practice in hospitals and recommended by pediatricians, has roots in her work. American mothers can carry children while working, shopping, or commuting. Parents of medically fragile individuals can live fuller, more active lives thanks to specialized carriers. And Moore’s ethos continues to inspire inventors and parents alike.

Without Ann Moore, the world would look very different: babies wouldn’t be nestled on their parents’ chests, hospitals would have a slower adoption of bonding practices, and countless people who rely on portable medical equipment wouldn’t have the practical solutions she pioneered. Her story is a testament to how one woman’s insight, creativity, and compassion can shape daily life for generations.