Back in the 1930s, long before we had safety gates and window guards, urban parents were getting creative about how to let their little ones enjoy the outdoors—even if it meant taking some risks. The push for fresh air began in the late 1800s when doctors recommended that children in city apartments needed outdoor exposure. Physicians, like Dr. Samuel Thompson, suggested placing infants’ cribs near windows, but some innovative parents took it a step further by constructing “baby cages” to hang from their apartment windows.
The first patented baby cage was introduced in 1922 by a woman named Clara Johnson from Chicago. Interestingly, Eleanor Roosevelt once confessed that she had no clue about baby care and hung her daughter Anna in a chicken-wire contraption from her New York City apartment window back in 1906. While these cages were a creative solution, they eventually fell out of favor—probably due to safety concerns that would never meet today’s standards.
Fast forward to today, and we have so many better ways to keep our babies entertained and safe outdoors, from strollers to playpens and swings. Plus, if you’re curious about more modern parenting methods, check out our other post on Modern Family Blog that dives into contemporary parenting trends.
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In summary, while baby cages may seem like a relic of the past, they reflect the lengths parents would go to for their children’s well-being. Today, we have much safer and more effective ways to ensure our kids get the fresh air they need without compromising their safety.
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