Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide Towards Good Prams

What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also known as a pushchair or stroller) is the primary mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A good pram combines safety, comfort and style that makes walking enjoyable for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for children from newborns to 3 years old. The adjustable handle can be turned around to allow you to turn the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

When you're out and about with your baby, you'll want to be sure they're comfortable. There are prams to ensure that your baby isn't shivering any sensations.

All the prams travel system listed in this guide allow your baby to lie flat. This is important for newborns since it improves oxygenation and helps support their spine and hips. The seats can also be adjusted to a more upright position once your child is able to sit up.

For a luxurious feel, the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon-like feel for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seats that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position but does have a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams, at a weight of just 8kg. But it has a sturdy frame with grained leather details and tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof.

If you're looking for something more budget-friendly but still with the same design Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a great option. The sleek, one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as some of the other prams we tried however it comes with a big storage basket and an extended hood with UPF50+ protection to keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you're a first-time parent we recommend the travel system bundle that includes a pram and a car seat that attach to the same frame. This will make it much easier to get your baby out of the car to the pram without waking them and is ideal for busy parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a fashionable and practical pram that can convert easily from a'pramette' lying flat into a toddler-friendly pushchair that is compatible with the Graco I-Size car seats.

Safety

The pram should come with five-point safety harnesses that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also have no gaps where their legs or heads can get trapped. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they grow. Examine the buckles on your harness to ensure that they are not cracked and have signs of wear. Many children are hospitalised each year because of injuries caused by strollers or prams. Tipping over is the primary reason for these injuries. Even the sturdiest prams can fall over if you hang bags onto the handles, or if a child with a wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without the harness being done up.

Another reason for injury is falling off the stroller or pram. If a baby is not properly secured the pram, they could fall out of the stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. This is why it is crucial to ensure that the buckle of the harness is always clicked into place.

Some good prams also have a canopy that can be reversible to protect your baby from sun in both directions. This feature is beneficial because you don't have to wake up your baby every time you change their position in the stroller or when you go into stores and out. Other useful features include a snack tray and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a basket for shopping under the seat, and a handlebar that locks in place when you're not using it.

You should never leave a child sleeping in their stroller unless they are within their reach at all times. Babies are known to wiggle when asleep and this may cause them to slide off the pram or stroller and could result in suffocation or strangulation. A stroller or pram should not be used as an alternative to a cot. It should only be used for short periods during the day.

The majority of prams require you to dismantle them to put them in the boot of your car so it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the process before you buy one. Find out how easy it will be to put the sections back together.

Durability

A foldable pram needs to be able to stand up to the wear and tear of many years. This includes having to deal with the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, which is why you need to ensure that your choice is able to perform the task you want it to. It is also important for your pram to be in the form of a color or print that isn't prone to fading quickly so you don't end up looking like you've gone out of style.

The top prams are constructed from high-quality materials and have been designed to last, so you should look for robust fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an effective suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily so that you can put them in your garage or even the boot.

All prams on this list allow babies to lie flat, which is crucial for infants since it increases oxygen saturation levels as well as aids in the development of their hips and spine. Some are made to grow with your child 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 shops near me for the first time, you may also be interested in a travel system which is a package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our parent tester Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month-old son. It comes with a clever feature that raises and lowers your child at the push of a button so you can keep eye contact and keep them close which she described as being important to her since the baby was still at an exploratory stage.

Another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two kids, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pram that converts from a single pushchair to a double pushchair with 30 possible configurations. It also comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap however, you can use it for multiple children, if needed. And like our winner model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot can be used as early as.

Style

Newborns must lay flat as often as possible to aid development and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs. Therefore, it's essential that all prams allow this. Some models provide a flat surface with a fully-reclinable carrycots, while others have seats that recline to an unflat position.

The Graco Near2Me has the latter and it's brilliant at what it does, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her son of 10 months. She loved the fact that she could raise or lower her baby at the touch of a button to keep him in view and still maintain eye contact and a closeness.

The frame is perfect to take a stroll around town and the puncture-proof wheels permit you to drive it off the road or on rough terrain. It's an excellent choice if you plan to have a child in the future, as it can easily be converted from a single pushchair a twin pushchairs or double.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It's suitable for babies since it comes with a carrycot that can be rolled flat and is compatible with car seats when purchased separately. It can be folded while the carrycot still in place, which is something that not all prams provide. This saves time and makes it simpler to use.

Its luxurious fabrics, spacious shopping basket and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of things you'd expect on a high-end pram however, its sleek frame makes it easy to handle on any terrain. It's also an ideal choice when you reside in a city and have to navigate narrow streets or busy sidewalks frequently. It's not cheap, but its versatility and quality can save you money in the long run by avoiding the need for a separate toddler stroller. It's available in a wide selection of colors as well, so you can pick one that matches your personal style.