Prams are such a familiar sight that it is sometimes difficult to remember that they have not always been available. Perhaps the biggest difference between the modern product and its predecessors is the emphasis on comfort and safety. Present day American and English versions have to conform to federal and national safety requirements regarding stability and braking, and often come with harnesses and safety leashes, whereas the 18th and 19th century pushchairs often lacked even a simple brake or straps, and were deplored by reformers such as Pye Henry Chavasse in his book 'Advice to a Mother' (1839) as much for their lack of safety as for their unsuitability for young babies who needed to lie flat (not catered for until the introduction of the wicker bassinet prams in the 1880s).
"...The child, while being borne in the nurse's arms, reposes on the nurse, warm and supported, as though he were in a nest! While, on the other hand, if he be in a perambulator, he is cold and unsupported, looking the very picture of misery, seeking everywhere for rest and comfort and finding none! ..."