What Makes Good Prams?
A pram (also known as a stroller or a pushchair) is the most popular form of transportation for babies and toddlers. A good pram is a combination of safety, comfort and design that makes walking fun for the entire family.
The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a great stroller for children from newborns to three 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 need to be sure they're comfortable. There are prams that will ensure that your baby isn't shivering any sensations.
The prams we've chosen in this buying guide allow your baby to lie flat, which is important for infants as lying flat improves oxygen saturation and supports their developing spine and hips. They also have seats that can be changed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit up.
For a really high-end feel it's the Venicci egg2 has a cosy feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seating that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position, but it does have a padded mattress and liner. It's also a little lighter than most prams, weighing less than 8kg, but it has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather detailing and air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and can take on more rural settings.
If you're looking for something less expensive but still with the same style, the Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The swish-looking, one-hand steer model isn't as light as the other prams we've tested but it has an impressively large storage basket and the ability to extend the hood, which comes with UPF 50+ protection that'll keep your baby protected and shaded.
If you are a first-time parent we suggest you consider a travel system package which includes a car seat and pram that can be attached to the same frame. This will make it much easier to transfer your child from the car to 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
The pram should come with a five-point safety harness that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also have no gaps where their legs or heads could get stuck. The straps must be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to ensure they are not cracked and have signs of wear. Every year, a lot of children are admitted to hospitals due to injuries caused by prams or strollers. The most common reason for these injuries is the result of a stroller tipping over. Even the sturdiest prams can tip over if you attach bags onto the handles, or if a child who is wriggling can get in or out of the seat without the harness being secured.
A frequent cause of injury is falling from a pram, or stroller. If a child's harness isn't secured correctly it could cause them to fall out of the
foldable stroller and suffer head or neck injuries. This is why it is crucial to ensure that the buckle of the harness is always locked in place.
Some
good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from the sun in either direction. This feature is helpful since you don't need to wake up your baby every time you change their position in the stroller or when you enter and out of stores. 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 are not using it.
Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram without being within sight. Babies tend to wriggle while asleep and this can cause them to roll off the stroller or pram and can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not a substitute for the crib. It should only be used for short periods of time during the daytime.
The majority of prams require you dismantle them to put them in the trunk of your car therefore it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with the process before you buy one. Check how easy it will be to put the parts back together.
Durability
A pram should 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, so you must ensure your choice will do the job you need it to. You also want your pram to be in an image or color that isn't prone to fading quickly so you don't end up looking like you've fallen out of fashion.
The most reliable prams are constructed from high-quality materials and are designed to last. Look for durable materials, sturdy tires, and an effective suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily, allowing you to store them in your garage or boot.
All the prams on this list allow babies to lie on their backs. This is crucial for babies, because it aids in the development of their hips and spine and improves oxygenation levels. A lot of these prams are designed to grow with your child's. Some include carrycots, or a reclined chair that can be snapped on and off as your child grows.
If you are buying a pram for the first time you should consider a travel system that includes both the carrycot as well as car seats could be of interest. Our test-driver for parents Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me System that she used with her 10-month-old son. It is a revolutionary feature that allows you to raise and lower your baby with the touch of a single button. This allows you to maintain eye contact with the baby and keep them in close proximity.
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 luxury pram that converts from a single pushchair to a
double pram pushchair with 30 possible configurations and features luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not inexpensive however, you can use it for more than one child if you need to. And like our winner iCandy Orange 3, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot can be used right from birth.
Style
Newborns should lie flat as much as they can in order to promote development and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs. Therefore, it is essential that all prams allow this. Some models provide a flat surface with a fully-reclinable carrycot, while others have a seat that reclines to an unflat position.
The Graco Near2Me is brilliant for this, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her child who was 10 months old. She loved the ability to raise or lower her infant with a push of an button, keeping him in sight, while still maintaining the eye contact and closeness.
It's a great pram for those that want to get around town easily as the frame is a great size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres let you move it off the road and onto rough terrain. It's also a great option if you're thinking of having another child in the near future since it is able to convert from a single pram into a twin or double pushchair.
The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels impressive. It's ideal for babies as it includes a carrycot that can be rolled flat and is compatible with a car seat if purchased separately. It can be folded while the carrycot still in place, which is an option that not all prams offer. This reduces time and makes it simpler to use.
The pram's luxurious fabric large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are features you'd expect to find on a premium model, but the sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver around various terrains.