Before the invention of modern contraception, family planning took the form of a chilling practice.
Infanticide, the killing of unwanted babies, was common throughout the Roman Empire and other parts of the ancient world, according to a new study.
A good example of a Johnny come lately story.
See this
LINK for quite detailed description of the treatment of children in tribal and other societies up to and including those of the present day. That of pre-WWII Germany is interesting as well as that of aboriginal Australia. You'll be able to see why exactly it was that the Brits wanted to take Abo children to be raised in British/Australian society.