# What is this hole/casing in old cradles for? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 1, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071 "2019-10-01T01:55:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/1 "2019-10-01T01:55:06Z")
It seems especially in old Irish cradles, but I see them in early American ones too, there is always what looks like a clock casing, or maybe a bird house at the head of the cradle. What is that bit, and why is it there? [Example](https://www.decaso.com/product/1738959/irish-pine-and-oak-rocking-cradle) ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/2 "2019-10-01T02:22:18Z")
Are you asking about the hood of the cradle, or the large circular hole in the hood? Lots of cradles are built with overhangs or “hoods” to shade the baby’s eyes from light and/or keep drafts off its head. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/3 "2019-10-01T02:30:14Z")
It [sez here](https://www.1stdibs.co.uk/furniture/more-furniture-collectables/childrens-furniture/pine-oak-rocking-cradle/id-f_14917631/) about the item in the OP’s link that the “circular opening, built into the shallow hood”, was intended “presumably to store small items; perhaps toys or other distractions”. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/4 "2019-10-01T02:33:58Z")
Looks like it’s to stick toys/stuffed animals in. Probably also the reason it sort of looks like a birdhouse. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/5 "2019-10-01T03:05:45Z")
Also, shouldn’t this thread be in GQ? AFAICT the OP’s question has a factual answer and it’s probably the one suggested here. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/6 "2019-10-01T03:11:18Z")
I think (wag) a blanket corner could be looped through there to provide shade or warmth while not getting around the baby and perhaps smothering them. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/7 "2019-10-01T03:17:16Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I think (wag) a blanket corner could be looped through there to provide shade or warmth while not getting around the baby and perhaps smothering them. I think you may be imagining the cradle hood as open underneath. But the quoted description says that the hole in the cradle hood provides storage for small items, implying that the space within the hood is enclosed by a flat bottom. So you couldn’t really “loop” a blanket corner **through** the hole. You could stuff part of a blanket **into** the hole, but you couldn’t fasten it there. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/8 "2019-10-01T03:27:17Z")
^^^Oh, well. There’s the answer then. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2019, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/9 "2019-10-01T09:53:53Z")
**Moderator Action** > [@Kimstu](#): > > Also, shouldn’t this thread be in GQ? AFAICT the OP’s question has a factual answer and it’s probably the one suggested here. I think you’re right. Moving thread from IMHO to GQ. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/10 "2019-10-03T10:59:20Z")
Thanks all! ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [October 3, 2019, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/11 "2019-10-03T16:34:23Z")
Looks like a place to hold a bottle of milk while doing things with the baby. ---
**Author:** ![Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Springtime\_for\_Spacers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Springtime_for_Spacers)\ **Post date:** [October 4, 2019, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-this-hole-casing-in-old-cradles-for/841071/12 "2019-10-04T00:02:01Z")
> [@Si\_Amigo](#): > > Looks like a place to hold a bottle of milk while doing things with the baby. Or things to do with nappy changing that you don’t want to get lost in the blankets like nappy pins, cream, cotton wool etc.