Ann Moore

Ann Moore is a nurse who invented the original hands-free baby carrier called the Snugli® in the 1960s. She later invented the Weego™ which was a more refined version of the original carrier. Because of her inventions, parents and caregivers throughout the world have the freedom to cook, run errands, work, and take care of older children while carrying their babies close to them.  

Ann Moore was born in Ohio in 1940 and raised on a farm in the Dunkard Brethen Church, a sect similar to the Amish in that they live simply and dress plainly. In an interview for the University of Cincinnati Magazine she said, “farm life is wonderful for kids to grow up in because you have a very natural interpretation of your environment…On a farm, when you don't have something right at your hands, you have to create your own solution.” This kind of childhood would be the backbone for her drive to solve problems through invention.  

Moore attended the University of Cincinnati for her undergraduate degree and then completed a pediatric nursing degree at Columbia University. She met her husband, Mike Moore, during a French language training and they were married just eight weeks later. The two then moved to Togo, Africa where Ann worked as a pediatric nurse with the Peace Corps. It was in Africa that Ann noticed that women used slings to carry their babies, which provided a great deal of comfort and security to the child, while keeping the parents’ hands free. The babies rarely cried because they were being held close to their mother, often breastfeeding. Back in the U.S., babies were rarely held so close for long periods of time, and were instead placed in plastic infant seats that lacked human warmth.  

When she returned to the U.S., Moore gave birth to her first daughter. Having been inspired by the women in Togo, she decided to make a sling so she could easily tote around her baby in a similar manner. She and her mother, Lucy Aukerman, designed and patented the Snugli, an adjustable, pouch-like infant carrier. Soon, mothers began to tell each other about this new invention, causing its popularity to spread by word-of-mouth. In 1976, a consumer report called it "the soft baby carrier to have." Not long after, the Wall Street Journal carried a front-page story on the product.  

Moore’s compassion and problem-solving skills have carried over to assisting other populations. In order to help oxygen-dependent people live more independent lives, she has invented backpacks for carrying liquid oxygen tanks. More recently, she invented carrying cases for medical and high-tech instruments.  

In 1985, the Moores sold the Snugli to a national corporation (later known as Evenflo). Their disappointment in how the large company changed their product led them to invent a modernized version called the Weego™ in the late 1990s. Through Moore’s invention, baby wearing became part of American culture and continues today. Parents across the country continue to be grateful to Moore for her helpful invention.