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 main form of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram is a combination of safety, comfort and design that makes walking fun for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic pram for newborns to 3-year-old kids. The Reversible handle lets you flip the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

When you're out and around with your baby, you need to be sure they're comfortable. The good news is that there are prams designed to ensure that your baby does not feel anything.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide allow your baby to lay flat, which is essential for babies who are just beginning to crawl. Lying flat increases oxygen saturation and supports their developing spine and hips. They also come with seats which can be transformed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a premium pram that has a cocoon-like feeling for your baby. It features smooth, curved lines, a bucket-shaped seat, which doesn't recline into flat, but it does have padding on the mattress and a liner. It's also lighter than other prams, at a weight of just 8kg. However, it still has a sturdy chassis with the grained leather accents and tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof.

If you're looking for something a bit more budget-friendly but with a similar design Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is another excellent choice. The sleek one-hand steer model isn't as light as some of the other prams we tried but it does have a big storage basket and an extended hood with UPF50+ protection to keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you are a first time parent We suggest you consider the travel system that includes a car seat and pram that are attached to the same frame. This allows parents to transfer their baby from the car to the pram without having to get them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a stylish and functional pram for travel that can be converted easily from a'pramette' that lies flat' to a toddler-friendly pushchair that is compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.

Safety

A pram must have a five-point safety harness to keep your baby secure and should not allow any gaps that could trap their heads or legs. The straps must be padded and easily adjustable as your child grows. It is also important to check the harness buckles to ensure they aren't damaged or showing signs of wear and tear. Many children are hospitalised every year due to injuries from strollers or prams. The primary cause of these injuries is the result of a stroller tipping over. Even the strongest prams can tip over if you hook bags to the handles or if the child is wriggling or squirming and falls out or in the seat before the harness is tightened.

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

Some good prams also have a canopy that can be reversible to shield your baby from the sun in any direction. This is a great feature because it will prevent having to wake your baby up when you are changing their position in the pram or when you go to and from the shops. Other handy features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your baby or toddler, a basket for shopping underneath the seat, and a handlebar that locks into position when you're not using it.

Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram if you are not within reach. Babies can be prone to wriggling while sleeping and this could cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to suffocation and strangulation. A pram or a stroller is not an alternative to a crib. It should only be used for short periods during the day.

Most prams require you to take them apart in order to put them in the car's boot so it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with this process before you purchase one. Also, consider how it is easy to put the different parts back together and click to put them back together.

Durability

A pram must be able endure several years of wear. This includes surviving the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, so you must ensure your choice will do the job you need it to. It is important to ensure that your stroller is in a color or pattern that isn't prone to fading so that you don't appear like you've lost fashion.

The best prams are constructed of top-quality materials and built to last. Look for durable fabrics with sturdy tires, as well as an effective suspension system. The top prams feature a compact fold so they are easy to store in your garage or boot when not when not in use.

All the prams in this list allow infants to lie flat, which is vital for newborns because it improves oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their spine and hips. Many are designed to adapt to your child's needs and some having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be clicked off and back on the frame when your child is no longer using it.

If you're purchasing a new pram for the first time, you may also be interested in a travel system which is a bundle that includes a lying-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 can raise or lower your child with the click of a button so you can keep eye contact and keep them close, which she described as being important to her as he was at an exploratory stage.

The Bugaboo Fox 3 is another option that our test-driver Jess Bird tried with her two babies Effie & Boden (pictured above). It's a luxury pram that can be converted from a single pushchair to double pushchair and has 30 different configurations, and comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap but you can use it for multiple children if necessary. Like our top pick model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot included is a great option to use from the moment of birth.

Style

Newborns must lay flat as much as possible to aid development and increase the oxygen level in their lungs. Therefore, it's important that all prams support this. Some models permit a completely flat position by using a carrycot that is fully reclinable, while others feature a seat that can be reclined to a horizontal or a vertical position.

The Graco Near2Me is a great device for both, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old child. She loved the fact that she could raise and lower her baby at the push chairs and prams of a button and keep him in the view of others, while still maintaining eye contact and closeness.

The frame is perfect for city trips and the puncture-proof tires allow you to take it off road or on rough terrain. It's also a smart option if you're thinking of having another child in future since it can easily be converted from a single pushchair to a twin or double pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish and high-end product that looks and feels luxurious. It's ideal for babies because it includes a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with car seats when you purchase it separately. You can fold it using the carrycot as a stand which is something does not happen with all prams, so it's an efficient and easy feature.

The pram's luxurious fabric large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are features you would expect to see in a top model However, the sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver over diverse terrains. This is a great choice if you live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or crowded walkways regularly. While it's not cheap however, the durability and quality of this model will save you money over the long term by eliminating the need to buy an additional pushchair for toddlers. You can choose from a wide range of colors that will fit your personal style.