Were Babies Sturdier in the Fifties?

Looking through this set of Popular Mechanics DIY Encyclopedias I found at the thrift shop sure makes me think so. In contrast to today's world where baby safety products comprise a $66 billion market, back in the day you could apparently just toss a baby in a metal basket made according to Popular Mechanics plans, strap it to the front seat of your car, and just buzz around town without a care in the world. Moms in the fifties were on some straight up DGaF status. This collected volume of awesomeness even offers up a set of plans to make a beach cage for your toddlers. Yes, you read correctly, a beach cage for toddlers. Just toss 'em in the cage and go about your beach adventures. No padded stroller with SPF 100,000 shades, fans, and iPod dock for a fifties baby. Nope. Lumber and chicken wire, complete with sharp edges and plenty of opportunity for splinters. But injury builds character so that's a good thing, right? The question that comes to my mind after looking through all the baby related plans in these books is whether this disparity of concern reflects poorly on the fifties or the roaring two-thousands? Were fifties babies neglected? Are today's babies coddled too much? To those questions I have to say, I don't know. I think that there must be a whole generation of lumpy headed fifties babies running around who are better suited to answer them. I personally just think kids should have more opportunity to hurt themselves and grow from the experience. However, I don't really advocate putting babies in homemade basket car seat contraptions. That seems like a bad idea.

Looks legit, right? Easy on the brakes, Mom. This basket has some low gunwales, I might roll overboard.

Nothing says love like tossing your baby in a cage while you go walking the dunes with ol' Muscly Joe over there.