(Crying sounds) Woman 1: What's happening, Jill?

Woman 2: The baby won't go to  sleep.

He keeps crying and crying.

I've tried those wraps and slings and  I just can't seem to figure him out.

Woman 1: Huh... Let me try something.

(Crying contnues, swishing  sounds, then crying stops) Woman 2: How did you do that?

Woman 1: Magic Woman 2: Really?

Woman 1: No, it's science  and engineering combined.

Lee Francis IV: That's right.

When you  combine need, knowledge and skill in   order to protect your little ones, you  get something that's not, maybe, magic,   but something really awesome.

And, I'm gonna tell  you all about it, today, here on Indigi-Genius.

Woman 2: Shhhh.

Lee Francis IV: Sorry ♪ ♪ Ever since there have been babies, there  has been a need to carry those babies.

Our animal relations have numerous biological  ways built in, but for humans, well, we don't have as many.

And babies are, how shall  we say, kind of vulnerable.

A human child is at the mercy of the universe.

Enter the cradle  board.

Known by many names, Tikinigan, Taapu, Ts’aal, Aweest’aal - it is a baby carrier of   choice for Indigenous peoples throughout North,  Central and South America.

Although there were   numerous variations, they all share common design  features.

They are all built with a strong frame   to protect the infant's spine and body.

There's  a foot rest and a rounded headboard or cover,   which would provide shade and on which  objects could be attached to keep the infant's attention and develop early eyesight.

The  headboard would also serve as a canopy, should the   parent need to cover the cradleboard to protect  against the elements.

The infant would be wrapped   snuggly in a blanket and secured into place  with leather cord.

The inside of the cradle   board would be lined with plant fibers, moss  or organic materials that would sometimes have antiseptic properties for healthy  skin and for dispersing infant waste.

Innovative variations abound, but the  basic form has remained consistent.

Cradle boards would be used for multiple reasons, mostly related to work or travel.

Indigenous peoples might hang them on a tree   branch or lean them against the tree while working  outdoors.

Inside the cradleboard could be propped   up against the furnishing and would certainly  keep the infant safe and secure for co-sleeping.

But, what does Western science have to say on  the subject of cradleboards and baby carriers   in general?

Although cradleboards, specifically,  have not been the focus of widespread studies,   they have been studied in Dine or  Navajo communities.

In the study,   cradle boards were shown to have a soothing  effect for infants.

As the infants grew, there   was less need for securing or swaddling, so arms  and hands would be kept free, so infants could   play with the objects tied to the cradleboard  headband.

Ultimately, the effects of parent,   infant interaction is clearly known to have  positive effects on infant and youth development,   something that the originators of these  baby-carrying designs surely had figured out.

Cradle boards have been and continue to be used by  Indigenous peoples from the Sub-arctic to as far   south as Patagonia, at the edge of the Antarctic.

Though many folks in the Southern hemisphere use a   sling or pouch, Aztec, Seri and Mayan peoples all  use cradleboards.

Baby carriers abound throughout   the world.

Some are modern, some traditional.

But  all of them are about caring for our children.

When my cousin was an infant, he had a hard time  taking naps.

One afternoon, a family friend came   over to help with child care.

I stepped out for  a moment and when I came back in, the house was   eerily quiet.

Giving my friend a quizzical  look and possibly panicked, she took me   back to his room, where he was snuggled in a  cradleboard she had brought over, fast, fast   asleep.

Caring for our children is a biological  imperative.

When you bring together form and function to meet a need, you get  something that can stand the test of time.

And all those incredible designs are on display  each and every day here on Indigi-Genius.

Well now, what am I going to do with this?

Huh, that was easy.

Ooh, sack full of cash!

♪ ♪