15 Terrifying Contraptions People Actually Used to Put Their Kids In

Rock-a-bye baby, on the tree top, be careful in that thing, or else it will drop!  The current parenting conversation revolves around natural remedies, attachment parenting, and the pros and cons of breastfeeding -- but let's take a step back to when parenting wasn't quite as gentle. If we can we be frank, people back in the day did CRAZY things with their kids. We're talking putting their babies in a cage hanging out the window, type of nuts. 

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Okay, okay -- we know it's not right to judge. But given the fact that the seat belt wasn't even invented until 1959, it's safe to assume that everything before that time was extremely dangerous. Baby products were mostly made from metal or hard woods, had no support or precautions to keep baby protected, or worst of all, were perched precariously where no baby belongs to be! Some of these contraptions were even used by doctors and scientist, which truly boggles the mind. 

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Take a look at these horrifying parenting practices from the early 20th century and be thankful that we are living in a time when there is so much more known about babycare. 

And let us know -- which practice was the craziest of all?