What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or a pushchair) is the main form of transportation for babies and toddlers. A good pram is a combination of safety, comfort and style that makes walking fun for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for babies to 3 years old. The reversible handle lets you to tilt the seat so your child can face either you or the world around them.

Comfort

Your baby should feel comfortable when you’re out with them. There are prams that will ensure your Baby Transport doesn’t feel anything.

The prams we’ve picked in this buying guide all let your baby lie flat, which is important for infants as lying flat improves oxygen saturation and helps support their growing spine and hips. The seats can be adjusted to an upright position once your child is able to sit up.

For a truly luxurious experience this Venicci egg2 provides a warm feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seat that does not recline to a lying-flat position, but has a padded mattress and liner. It’s also lighter than most prams, at a weight of just 8kg. But it has a sturdy chassis with grained leather details and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.

The Minu V2 is a great option to consider if you’re looking to buy something with a similar look but at a price that is lower. The swish-looking, one-hand steer model isn’t as light than some of the other prams we tested but it does have a large storage basket, as well as an extendable hood with UPF 50+ protection that’ll keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you’re the first parent of your child, we’d recommend considering a travel system bundle which includes a pram as well as a car seat that are attached to the same frame. This will make it much easier to get your baby out of the car to the pram without disturbing them and is ideal for busy parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a stylish and useful pram that can convert easily from a’pramette’ that lies flat into a toddler-friendly pushchair, compatible with the Graco i-Size car seat.

Safety

A pram should be equipped with a five-point safety harness to keep your baby secure and should not allow any gaps to trap their legs or heads. The straps must be cushioned and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to ensure that they are not damaged and show signs of wear. Every year, a lot of children are admitted to hospitals because of injuries caused by prams and strollers. Tipping over is the main reason for these injuries. Even the strongest prams could tip over when you strap bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling and gets into or out of the seat before the harness has been tightened.

A common cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If a baby’s harness is not fastened properly it could cause them to fall out of the stroller and sustain neck or head injuries. This is why it is vital to make sure that the harness buckle is always clicked into place.

Some good prams also have a canopy that can be reversible to protect your baby from the sun in any direction. This feature is helpful since you don’t need to wake up your baby every time you alter their position in the stroller or when you go in stores and out. There are also other features that can be useful, for example a snack tray for your child or toddler and drink holders. There’s also a shopping basket underneath the seat.

It is not advisable to leave a sleeping child in their stroller unless they are in their sight at all times. Babies can be prone to wiggle while asleep and could cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram should not be used as a substitute for the crib. It is best to use it for short periods of time during the daytime.

It is necessary to take apart the majority of prams to put them in the trunk of your car. This procedure is something you should know before you purchase one. Also, check how it is easy to put the different parts back together before putting them in place.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to stand up to the wear and tear of many years. This includes the need to endure walking in the rain and many car journeys, which is why you must ensure your choice is able to fulfill the tasks you require it to. You should ensure that your stroller is in the right color or design that won’t fade easily so you don’t look like you’ve fallen out of fashion.

The best prams are made of high-quality materials and have been designed to last, so look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an efficient suspension system. The best prams are lightweight and fold easily, Compact strollers allowing you to store them in your garage or even the boot.

All the prams in this list allow babies to lie down on their backs. This is important for babies, as it helps them develop their hips and spine, and improves oxygenation levels. A lot of them are designed to adapt to your child’s needs with some having a carrycot or a fully reclined seat that can be moved off and back on the frame at a time when your child is no longer using it.

If you’re buying a new pram for the first time, you may be looking for a travel system that is a complete bundle that includes a lying-flat carrycot and car seat. Our tester for parents Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month old son. It comes with a clever feature that allows you to raise and lower your baby at the touch of a button, so you can keep your eyes on them and keep them close which she described as being important to her since he was at an exploratory stage.

The Bugaboo Fox 3 is another option that our tester Jess Bird tried with her two babies Effie and Boden (pictured above). It’s a stroller that can be transformed from a single pushchair to double pram in 30 different configurations. It also comes with sun canopy that can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It’s not cheap, but you can use it for more than one child, if you need to and, just like the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth with the included carrycot.

Style

All prams should allow newborns to lay as flat as they can. This will aid in their development and increase oxygen levels in the lungs. Some models provide a flat position using a fully reclineable carrycots, while others have the seat that can recline to an upright position.

The Graco Near2Me is brilliant for this, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tested it on her 10-month-old child. She loved that she could raise or lower her child by pressing an button, keeping him in view while maintaining eye contact and proximity.

It’s a great choice for those that want to travel around town with ease as the frame is a good size for manoeuvring, while the puncture-proof tyres let you move it off the road and onto rough terrain. It’s a great option when you are planning to have a second child in the future, as it can easily be converted from a single foldable pushchair a twin or double.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels impressive. It’s suitable for newborns because it includes a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with a car seat, if you buy it separately. It can be folded by putting the carrycot in place which is something isn’t the case with all prams which is why it’s a time-saving and hassle-free feature.

The pram’s luxurious fabrics, spacious basket, and puncture-proof tires are things you’d expect to find on a premium model, but the sleek frame makes it simple to maneuver over diverse terrains. This is a great option for those who live in the city and must navigate narrow streets or crowded pathways regularly. This pram is not cheap but its versatility and quality can save you money in the long run by avoiding the purchase of a separate toddler stroller. You can choose from a variety of colors to match your style.