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 comfort, safety and design that makes walking fun for the entire family.
The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a wonderful pram for newborns up to 3 year old children. The reversible handle lets you to rotate the seat so that your child can look at either you or the world around them.
Comfort
You want your baby to be comfortable when you're out with them. There are prams that ensure your baby doesn't feel anything.
All prams featured in this guide let your baby lay flat. This is essential for newborns since it improves oxygenation and supports their spine and hips. They also have seats that can be converted to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.
For a luxurious feel, the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon feel for your newborn with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seat that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position, but has padding on the liner and mattress. It's also a little lighter than other prams, weighing less than 8kg, but it has a sturdy chassis and grained leather details and air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and able to be used in more rural environments.
If you're looking for something less expensive but still with the same design, the Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The one-hand steer, swish model isn't quite as lightweight as other strollers, but it does have a huge storage basket. It also comes with an extended hood that provides UPF 50+ protection to keep your baby protected and shaded.
If you're new to parenting, we recommend that you consider a travel system package which includes a car seat and pram that are attached to the same frame. This will make it 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 a stylish and practical pram that is easily converted from a 'pramette' or lie-flat 'pramette, into a stroller that is toddler-friendly compatible with the Graco ISize car seats.
Safety
A pram should be equipped with a five-point safety harness to ensure your baby is safe and free of any gaps that could trap their heads or legs. The straps should be cushioned and easy to adjust as they expand. Also, you should inspect the buckles of your harness to ensure they aren't damaged or showing signs of wear and tear. Every year, a large number of children are admitted to hospitals because of injuries caused by prams or strollers. The primary cause of these injuries is the result of a stroller tipping over. Even the strongest prams could tip over when you hang your bags onto the handles or if the child is wriggling and falls in or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.
A common cause of injury involves falling from a pram or stroller. If a baby's harness isn't secured correctly, it could cause them to fall out of the stroller and sustain neck or head injuries. It is therefore essential to ensure that the buckle on the harness is securely clicked into the proper position.
Some prams with good quality also have a reversible canopy that will protect your
baby pram from sun in any direction. This feature is useful because you don't have to wake your baby when you change their position in the stroller, or when you go in and out of stores. Other handy features include a snack tray and drink holders for your baby or toddler, a basket for shopping under the seat, and the handlebar can be locked into place when you are not using it.
Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram without being in sight. Babies are susceptible to wriggling while sleeping and could cause them to roll out of the stroller or pram. This could lead to suffocation and strangulation. A pram or stroller is not a substitute for a cot and should only be used for short periods during the day.
The majority of prams require you to disassemble them in order to fit them into the trunk of your car therefore it's an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with this procedure before purchasing one. Consider how easy it would be to put the sections 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 the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, so you want to be sure your choice can do the job you need it to. You should ensure that your stroller is in a color or pattern that isn't prone to fading so that you don't appear as if you've slipped out of fashion.
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
top prams have a compact fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or boot when not when not in use.
All prams on this list allow a baby to lie flat, which is essential for newborns because it improves oxygen saturation levels as well as aids in the development of their hips and spine. Many are designed to adapt to your child's needs, with some of them having a carrycot or a fully reclined seat that can be moved off and back on the frame when your little one outgrows it.
If you are purchasing a pram for the very first time you should consider a
travel strollers system that includes both the carrycot as well as a car seat could be worth a look. Our tester for parents Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me System she used with her 10-month-old son. It comes with a handy feature that allows you to raise and lower your child at the push of a button, so you can keep your eyes on them and keep them close which she described as being important for her son as he was in an exploratory stage.
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 pushchair that can be converted from a single pushchair a double with 30 different configurations. It also comes with a sun canopy that can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not
cheap stroller, but you could use it for more than one child, if you need to and, like our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth using the included carrycot.
Style
Newborns need to lay flat as much as they can in order to promote development and improve the oxygen saturation of their lungs, which is why it's essential that all prams allow this. Some models provide a flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycot while others feature seats that recline to an unflat position.
The Graco Near2Me is a great device for the latter, as our
parent facing pushchair tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old daughter. She was thrilled that she could raise and lower her child with the press of a button to keep him in view while maintaining eye contact and a closeness.
It's a great stroller for those who wish to travel around town easily as the frame is a good size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres let you take it off road and on to rough terrain. It's an excellent choice for those who plan to have another child in the near future since it can be transformed from a single pushchair a twin or double.
The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish premium option that looks and feels luxurious. It's ideal for babies since it comes with a carrycot that can lie flat and it's compatible with a car seat when purchased separately. It can be folded with the carrycot still in place It's a feature that not all prams offer. This saves time and makes it simpler to use.
Its luxurious fabrics, large shopping basket and puncture-proof tires are all the things you'd expect on a premium pram however, its sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver on any terrain.