More Vintage Babywearing Photos

Did you know there was a mini babywearing boom is Australia and New Zealand in the 1940’s? World War II caused a materials shortage and pram production fell by more than half.  There was also a temporary lack of available home delivery services, so mums didn’t have the option to just stay home. Several styles were invented by enterprising parents including metal framed baby carriers but hip carriers were was the most popular. While these were not as popular as baby carriers are today these designs were successful enough to be sold in department stores and were later exported overseas including to the United Kingdom and the United States.  The United States and the UK also seem to be have been affected by pram and also gasoline shortages to some degree (meaning more mothers had to take public transport). You can read more about these carriers in my previous post Mid Century Baby Carriers and Vintage Baby Carrier Advertisements.  I have come across some more interesting photos (or learnt some more information about some photos I shared before) since I wrote that article so here's an update.  Several are copies of press photos of the time. Captions were were written on the back of the photos although I'm not sure which newspaper they were published in originally.

1940s Baby Carriers

Ausssie Mama And Son Model ''Cuddle Seat".  Mrs. June Liabo of Chicago, an Australian war bride, and her son Paul, nine months, introduces a new technique in baby carrying in Chicago.  A cloth sling, called a "cuddle seat"in Australia, goes over the mother's shoulder to facillitate carrying a youngster.  Mrs. Liabo is the wife of a former Marine captain and has been in the United States for 18 months (Acme Newspictures 3/26/46)

Like A Papoose, Only Different.  Ingenious idea from Australia that has been welcomed in America is the "Cuddleseat" a nifty contraption that allows a mother the freedom of both hands, and at the same time, supports her baby comfortably at her hip. So popular was the idea among busy housewives engaged in war work in Australia that one Aussie women brought marketing rights with her when she came to America with her Yank husband. She is Mrs John McHose, who demonstrates the Cuddleseat with her son Terry. (Acme Newspictures San Francisco 1/18/46)

-This photo is dated February 3 1943.  Shortage of baby carriages doesn't seem to bother Mrs. Jacobs Karro of Arlingto, Va.,who hit on this novel method of transporting 10-month-old baby David.  Carrying baby on back papoose style, she's shown boarding a streetcar in washington.  (Acme Newspapers Washington Bureau).   It was also published in another newspaper with a similar caption.

This mum is also using a cradle board to carry her baby (photo taken on 18 March 1945).  Two of these photos were on ebay but with different captions (perhaps from two different newspapers)

50s-70s Babywearing

Here are some intersting photos I have found covering this era.

DIY baby carrier from a 1966 newspaper article, pictured with actress Lois Lawson. This ‘sling child-carrier’ was available through mail order for 50 cents through U-Bild. The pattern claimed to solve a ‘weighty problem for young mothers’ and was recommended to be made from double reinforced canvas or denim with the seat reinforced with masonite.

Danish mother carrying her baby on her back in a metal framed seat in 1953.
Mothers have always found ingenious ways to carry their babies. Metal straps though – ouch!
I have come across quite a few photos of this kind of carrier and they look strikingly similar to car seats of the era so I suspect that is exactly what they are.
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The caption of the press photo explains – "Papoose Caboose -  Copenhagen: In a modern version of an old American Indian fashion, the mother carriers her 'papoose' in a seat strapped to her back.  Troublesome prams, which are always in the way in stores and subways, are unnecessary when the housewife shoulders her baby burden this way' Credit (United Press Photo) 11/25/53 

Complimentary baby carriers were provided by Tesco in  1970s, so mothers wouldn't have to leave their babies unattended.


"A Tesco spokesman said that the bid to best baby snatchers would cost £8000. Housewives Shirley Veritu and Christine Probert tried out the sling in a North London branch on Thursday (14-2-74) and found just one snag. They couldn't see what the little rascals were getting up to behind their backs."

This initiative doesn't seem to have taken off, though. Do you like this idea?

Photo: Trinity Mirror, February 1974

Early 1900s

These photos are from a much earlier eara when traditional babywearing was more common.

This photo depicts two traveler women selling their wares while baby wearing (New Forest 1910)

These next two photo show babywearing using traditional carriers in New Zealand from around the same era. Babywearing in Ohinemutu in New Zealand, 1908. I don't have a source for the second image which is possibly a postcard. 

​So cozy! This photo of an Inuit mother and child was taken on King Island Alaska between 1915 and 1925.

Two Washoe mothers carrying cradleboards on their backs ca. 1900. Image source: University of Southern California Libraries.