What Makes Good Prams?

A pram, also known as a pushchair, stroller or Sling, is the most popular method of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram is a combination of comfort, safety and design that makes walking fun for all the family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a great stroller for children from newborns to 3 years old. The reversible handle lets you turn the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

When you’re out and about with your baby, you need to ensure that they’re safe. There are prams to make sure your baby doesn’t feel any discomfort.

The prams we’ve picked in this buying guide all allow your baby to lay flat, which is essential for babies who are just beginning to crawl. Lying flat improves oxygen saturation and supports their developing spine and hips. The seats can be adjusted to an upright position when your baby is capable of sitting up.

For a really high-end experience it’s the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon feel for your newborn with smooth, curved lines and a bucket-shape seat that doesn’t recline into a lie-flat position but does have padding on the mattress and liner. It’s also a little lighter than most prams on the market at less than 8kg but has a sturdy chassis and grained leather accents and air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and can handle more rugged terrains.

If you’re looking for something a bit more budget-friendly but still with the same style Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is another excellent choice. The swish-looking one-hand steer model isn’t as light as some of the other prams we’ve tested but it has an impressively large storage basket and extended hood with UPF50+ protection that’ll keep your baby protected and shaded.

If you’re a new parent, we’d recommend considering the travel system bundle that includes a pram and a car seat that attach to the same frame. This makes it much easier for parents to transfer their child from their car to the pram without having to get them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram and car seat that is easily converted from a ‘pramette or a lie-flat ‘pramette into a stroller that is toddler-friendly compatible with the Graco iSize car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will keep your baby safe. It should also have no gaps between their head and legs that are likely to get caught. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they grow. Examine the buckles on your harness to make sure they’re not cracked and show signs of wear. A lot of children are hospitalized every year due to injuries from strollers or prams. Tipping over is the most common reason for these injuries. Even the strongest prams could tip over if you hook bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling and falls into or out of the seat before the harness has been tightened.

Another common cause of injuries is falling from the pram or stroller. If a baby is not securely fastened in the pram, they may fall out of the stroller and suffer head or neck injuries. This is why it is vital to ensure that the harness buckle is always secured.

Some good prams also have a reversible canopy that will protect your baby from sun in any direction. This is a useful feature since you will not be having to wake your child awake while you change their position in the pram, or when you are going to and from the shops. There are also other features that could be useful, such as an eating tray for your toddler or child and drink holders. You can also find a basket for shopping underneath the seat.

You should never let a child sleep in their stroller unless they are within their reach at all times. Babies are susceptible to wriggling while sleeping and could cause them to fall out of the stroller or pram. This could lead to strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram should not be used as an alternative to a cot. It should only be used for short periods during the daytime.

It is essential to disassemble most prams in order to put them in the trunk of your car. This procedure must be mastered before you purchase one. Also, check how it is easy to put the various sections back together and click them into place.

Durability

A pram must be able to last through several years of wear and tear. This includes surviving muddy walks and getting through many car journeys, which is why you must ensure your choice is able to fulfill the tasks you require it to. It is also important for your stroller to have the form of a color or print that doesn’t get outdated so that you don’t end up looking like you’ve gone out of style.

The most reliable prams are constructed of top-quality materials and designed to last. You should look for durable fabrics with sturdy tires, as well as a well-designed system of suspension. The best prams will also have a compact fold so you can store them easily in your garage or boot when not in use.

All the prams on 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. Many are designed to grow with your child and some having a carrycot or a fully reclined seat that can be moved on and off the frame at a time when your little one outgrows it.

If you are buying a pram for the first time it is recommended to consider a system that comes with the carrycot as well as car seats could be of interest. We love the Graco Near2Me device that our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It has an innovative feature that lets you raise and lower your child by pressing a single button. This lets you keep your eyes on your child and keep them close.

Another alternative is another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two children, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It’s a luxury pram that converts from a single to double pushchair, with 30 possible configurations. It also comes with premium fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proofed tyres. It’s not inexpensive but it can be used for multiple children if necessary. Like our top pick, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot, it can be used from the moment of birth.

Style

Newborns need to lie flat as much as they can in order to promote development and increase the oxygen level in their lungs, which is why it is essential that all prams allow this. Some models provide a flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycot, while others have the seat that can recline to an unflat position.

The Graco Near2Me has the latter feature and is fantastic in this regard as our tester for parents Jaya found when she tested it with her son who was 10 months old. She loved the fact that she could raise and lower her baby at the touch of a button, keeping him in view, while still maintaining eye contact and a closeness.

It’s a great choice for those that want to get around town without hassle since the frame is a great size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres let you take it off road and into rough terrain. It’s also a smart option if you’re thinking of having a second child in the future because it easily converts from a single pram into a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels impressive. It’s ideal for babies because it comes with a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with a car seat, if you buy it separately. It is able to be folded with the carrycot still in place, which is a feature that not all prams have. This is time-saving and makes it more convenient to use.

Its luxurious fabrics, spacious shopping basket and puncture-proof tires are all the things you’d expect on a high-end pram and its sleek design makes it easy to maneuver on a variety of terrains. It’s also a great choice for those who reside in a city and need to negotiate narrow streets or busy sidewalks regularly. While it’s not cheap but the quality and versatility of this pram mean that it can save you money in the end by not having to invest in a separate toddler pushchair. It’s available in a wide variety of colors, as well, so you can choose one that suits your personal style.