Baby cages? They used to be common!

Don't be tempted to think this is the weirdest chapter in history, because babies were literally kept in NYC apartment window cages through the 1930s.

The 1930s weren't known for particularly peaceful, run-through-the-fields-without-so-much-as-a-worry feelings (we had just come off the first World War and were quickly finding ourself in the subsequent one), so it probably won't completely shock you to learn that loving, seemingly normal middle class-ish mothers in Europe and North America found themselves popping their babies in cages that would leave them all but dangling from apartment windows. Why? In the name of fresh air, of course.

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These baby cages were incredibly common in high-rise ridden cities like London, New York, and Chicago for the better part of the early 1900s and very late 1800s, and were designed to be propped up as window air conditioning units might now be in present-day. The babies, typically from sitting age up and beyond would enjoy fresh air, a bit of sunshine, and the lovely smell of exhaust in the morning so overworked moms could tend to their cooking, cleaning, and mostly by-hand laundry piles.

A baby cage from 1936

Now, you're probably thinking how absolutely bonkers this is, and may even be wondering if your grandparents or great grandparents actually survived a baby cage lifestyle. Fair enough, but at one point fairly recently, overwhelmed and crammed-in New York City parents were even making the sort of tongue-in-cheek argument to bring these baby cages back. Gasp, but also... relatable?

The origin of these daunting contraptions that go against just about everyone's better judgement stems from the 1884 book The Care and Feeding of Children by Dr. Luther Emmett, who carefully argued that babies need to be "aired" to "renew and purify their blood." You're probably more familiar with the idea of airing as it relates to dusty, overused area rugs or gently-used gym towels than for human babies, but hey. Things were weird. Coca Cola was still putting actual cocaine in their sodas for most of this time, and we definitely cannot say there's a connection, but we also can't rule it out. He continued, "The appetite is improved [ with airing out ], the digestion is better, the cheeks become red, and all signs of health are seen.”

Pretty terrifying, right?

When the cages really caught on in the early 1930s, several London apartment complexes actually went to great lengths to lure high-quality family tenants into their buildings by pre-outfitting their windows with baby cages. Thoughtful, but maybe the 2021 version of a free in-building gym is better. Or a little balcony. Or heck, free cable internet to ply bored babies with some sing-song ABCs. Now, here's where things get really interesting. Are you sitting down? Go ahead. We'll wait. No infant deaths or injuries were ever reported from the baby cages. Now, this might be due in part to the complete lack of internet, phone, and broader communication most moms have now (sorry, no Amazon reviews back in the day), but it also may mean that generally these cages were fairly safe and that the caretakers using them were typically close by.

As crazy as it all sounds (and definitely looks) these archaic cages may actually be sort of backed by some very modern scientific research. One study (Journal of Sleep Research 2004) found that babies sleep significantly longer when exposed to plenty of light in the afternoon. The doctor who led the study, Dr. Yvonne Harrison, noted that many mothers feel unsafe leaving their child outside, but feel completely at ease putting their infants in front of large windows rather than in darkened nurseries. Sounds a lot like baby cage setups of nearly 100 years ago, doesn't it? And, in some cultures, especially those of Northern Europe, putting baby to sleep in cold, fresh air -- even in freezing temperatures -- is considered commonplace. This BBC article actually discusses how Scandinavians routinely put their babies out to nap in sub-zero temperatures. Brr!

Another study found that children who are exposed to daily doses of fresh air and sun actually sleep better and longer at night. Whether or not moms of a hundred or so years ago were reporting less midnight baby scream sessions or not, we'll never know, but it seems the idea of offering fresh air even in a hurried, overwhelming city life was at least universally appealing and useful. Though the cages were invented in the United States, it was the London set of then yummy mummies who made the trend fly off the charts. The design patent, granted to an American named Emma Read from Spokane, Washington, read:

“It is well known that a great many difficulties rise in raising, and properly housing babies and small children in crowded cities, that is to say from the health viewpoint. With these facts in view, it is the purpose of this invention to provide an article of manufacture for babies and young children, to be suspended upon the exterior of a building adjacent an open window, wherein the baby or young child may be placed.”

Ah yes, but of course. The interior design was often customized by mothers once their cages were installed, or offered as pre-designed and padded much as modern-day posh strollers might be. Linings with wool blankets, plush mini rugs, or makeshift baby mattresses were fairly common. In fact, the baby cages were so incredibly popular at one point that even Eleanor Roosevelt purchased one after the birth of her daughter, Anna. And, believe it or not, the popularity of baby cages didn't really start to wane till well after the end of World War Two when perceptions of baby safety began to shift and parenting techniques were altogether modernized by the availability of books, magazines, radio, and television.

Have your own experiences, intel, or photos with baby cages you'd like to share? Leave a comment below or feel free to share with me on social media so I can write a follow-up piece to this very strange twist in parenting history.