Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide For Good Prams

What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or a pushchair) is the main form of transport for infants and toddlers. A quality pram combines comfort, safety and design that makes walking enjoyable for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a great stroller for newborns and 3-year-old children. Its reversible handle allows you to turn the seat so that your child can look at either you or the world around them.

Comfort

You want your child to feel comfortable when you're out with them. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure your little one isn't apprehensive.

All the prams in this guide let your baby lie flat. This is important for babies as it increases oxygenation and helps support their spine and hips. They also come with seats that can be converted to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a top-of-the-line pram sets that has a cocoon-like feel for your baby. It is smooth and has curving lines as well as a bucket-shaped seating, which does not recline into an upright position however it does come with a padded mattress and liner. It's also a little lighter than most prams, weighing under 8kg but still has solid chassis and grained leather detailing as well as tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof and can be used in more rural environments.

If you're looking for something less expensive but with the same style, the Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a great option. The one-hand steer, swish model isn't quite as lightweight as other strollers, but it does come with a large storage basket. It also comes with an hood that can be extended, which provides UPF 50+ protection, which keeps your baby safe and shaded.

If you're the first parent of your child we recommend a travel system bundle which includes a pram and a car seat that attach to the same frame. This makes it easier to transfer your child from the car into the pram without disturbing them and is ideal for busy parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is an elegant and practical pram that can be converted easily from a 'pramette, or a lie-flat 'pramette' into a toddler-friendly stroller compatible with the Graco ISize car seat.

Safety

A pram should have a five-point safety harness to ensure your baby is safe and free of any gaps to entrap their legs or heads. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they grow. Examine the buckles on your harness to ensure that they are not damaged and show signs of wear. A lot of children are hospitalized each year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. Tipping over is the most common reason for these injuries. Even the most robust prams could tip over if you attach bags on the handles, or if a child with a wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without harnesses being secured.

A common cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If a child is not securely fastened in, they could fall out of the pram and suffer head or neck injuries. This is why it is crucial to ensure that the harness buckle is always secured.

Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from sun in any direction. This feature is helpful since you don't need to wake your baby every time you change their position in the stroller, or when you go in and out of shops. Other useful features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a shopping basket under the seat, and a handlebar that can be locked into place when you're not using it.

Never leave a sleeping baby in a pram without having them within sight. Babies are prone to wriggling while sleeping and this can cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to suffocation and strangulation. A pram or stroller is not an alternative to a cot and should be used only for short periods of time during the daytime.

Most prams require you to dismantle them to fit them into the trunk of your car so it's an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with this process before you purchase one. Also check how it is easy to put the different parts back together and then click to put them back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to endure a long time of wear. You should ensure that your stroller can withstand muddy walks, as well as multiple car trips. You also want your pram to come in a print or colour that won't date quickly to avoid looking like you've fallen out of fashion.

The best prams are made of high-quality materials and have been designed to last, so you should look for robust fabrics, sturdy wheels and an effective suspension system. The most effective prams are small and fold easily, allowing you to put them in your garage or even the boot.

All the prams in this list allow babies to lie flat, which is crucial for infants since it increases oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their hips and spine. Some are made to grow with your child, with some of them having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be clicked off and on the frame for when your child outgrows it.

If you are purchasing an infant stroller for the first time, a travel system that has the carrycot as well as a car seat could be a good idea. We love the Graco Near2Me system that our parent tester Jaya used with her 10-month-old son. It has an innovative feature that lets you raise and lower your baby by pressing a single button. This allows you to maintain eye contact with the baby and keep them in close proximity.

Another alternative is another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two babies, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pushchair twin that can be converted from a single pushchair to a double pram pushchair with 30 possible configurations and features luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap but you could use it for more than one child in the event of need and, as with our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth using the included carrycot.

Style

All prams should permit newborns to lie flat as possible. This will help with their development and increase oxygen saturation in the lung. Some models allow for an entirely flat position using a carrycot that can be fully reclined, whereas others have a seat which can recline to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me features the latter and it's brilliant at that, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her 10-month-old son. She was thrilled that she could raise or lower her little one with the press of a button, keeping him in the view of others, while still maintaining eye contact and closeness.

This frame is perfect for nipping around town and the puncture-proof tires permit you to take it off the road or on rough terrain. It's a great option for those who plan to have a child in the future since it can be converted from a single pushchair to a twin or double.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a stylish, high-end option. It's suitable for newborns because it comes with a lie-flat baby carrycot and is compatible with car seats when you purchase it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot still in place, which is an option that not all prams have. This saves time and makes it more convenient to use.

The pram's luxurious fabric, spacious basket, and puncture-proof tires are all features you'd expect on a high-end model, but the sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver around diverse terrains. It's also a great option when you reside in a city and must navigate narrow streets or crowded sidewalks frequently. While it's not cheap however, the durability and quality of this stroller mean that it can save you money over the long term by not having to buy an additional pushchair for toddlers. You can choose from a wide range of colors that will fit your style.