When was the last time you saw a baby carriage? I haven't seen one in quite some time, not even one being used as a toy. It seems those umbrella strollers have generally replaced those, although I have noticed they are getting more elaborate. I'm thinking they will evolve back into the carriages of old. It occurred to me that cars have evolved over the years to become quite the complex means of transportation. The cost, the maintenance and the functionality have all increased. They have become quite plush. Baby carriages went in the opposite direction. The reason for that was simple convenience. Mom didn't want to lug that big old carriage around. It was difficult to load into the car. And I'm thinking that is what precipitated the change. Ladies weren't out strolling with their babies as they had in the past. Today you are just as likely to see a man carrying the baby in a sling, almost like a papoose as seeing a mom pushing a stroller.
When I was growing up baby carriages were in abundance. A good number of them were old, a bit worn out and generally moldy. That was because they had been left outside or in a garage. They were like gold mines to me though. The good ones had solid axles, good wheels and springs. I needed those things to build my pushcarts. My father being a carpenter always had plenty of lumber around. All that was really needed was a couple 2x4's and a long carriage bolt. I could get a wooden milk case from the corner deli when the milk guy wasn't looking. All you had to do was knock one side out and you had a fine seat. I couldn't say how many of those my brothers and I built but we always had one. As I recall the springs never really worked out well, there was some design issues, as a result the suspension was quite stiff. That also caused the destruction of more than one of those carts.
I just saw a sonogram of my great grandchild; a girl and the thought of a baby carriage came to mind. Funny how things can trigger memories like that. I do remember baby carriages but don't recall ever seeing anyone pushing a real baby in one. By the 1960's baby carriages were old fashioned things. The mom's in the 60's were out and about, driving their own cars, going places and those carriages just weren't practical. There was a movie out called "Thoroughly Modern Millie" at that time. My sister's name was Millie so that's how I remember that. The story was about a "modern" woman trying to get a job in the business world. That was a modern idea at the time. Yes, the times were changing, no room for carriages!
Well, it is all about taking baby along. In general, we don't spend as much time on the old homestead as we once did. A method for bringing baby along was needed. Carrying a child around isn't the easiest thing to do. I suspect babies were put into wagons or carts long before a dedicated carriage was ever designed. I also suspect it was something only wealthier families had in the beginning. It was most likely a sign of wealth and position in society. A woman of leisure with time to take her prodigy for a stroll. A sign she didn't need to be home doing the cooking and cleaning or the laundry. Today staying at home is the unusual thing. Those babies are on the go! I went on Amazon and the closet thing they had was a 2 in 1 baby stroller with basinet mode, listed at one hundred and fifty dollars! You can get an umbrella stroller for twenty bucks. I looked at some cribs. The traditional looking ones I remember are still being sold. I was surprised by that as I have seen some stories on the news about those, guess they are still approved.
Yes, today the world is moving at a much faster pace, no time for carriages. Places to go, things to do and baby needs to come along. But that only lasts for a short time. Those kids will be in pre-school or day care in no time. Only need that stroller for the weekends. I have seen some pretty fancy ones though, ones designed for mom to go jogging with. That's the mom's that have that leisure time, just like in the old days. The millennial moms! They are out there, just not in Greensboro, have to go into the city to see that. I once saw a couple pushing a stroller with a dog inside. Yeah, have to bring the dog along too.
The basic design, waiting on that milk crate
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