Cradleboard
Cradleboards were similar to baby backpacks used today. The styles were flexible, protective, and decorative. Between A.D. 750-1100, cradleboards in Mesa Verde ceased to include soft padding, resulting in babies with the backs of their skulls flattened. This change was likely a result of evolving styles and cosmetic preferences, the flat skull being a preferred look, although another possible reason is that the solid board may have provided more support for babies' fragile necks while their mothers were working.
