What Makes
Good Prams?
A pram, also referred to as a stroller,
pushchair or a Sling, is the main method of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram is a combination of comfort, safety and design that makes walking enjoyable for all family members.
The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for infants to three years old. The reversible handle lets you to turn the seat so your child can face you or the world around them.
Comfort
When you're out and about with your baby, you need to ensure they're secure. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure your child isn't apprehensive.
The prams we've picked in this buying guide let your baby lie flat, which is crucial for newborn babies as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and helps support their growing hips and spine. They also come with a seat that can be converted to a more upright position when your baby is old enough to sit up.
For a truly luxurious feel this Venicci egg2 offers a cozy feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curvaceous lines and a bucket-shape seat that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position but does have an upholstered liner and mattress. It's also lighter than most prams, with a weight of less than 8kg. However, it still has a sturdy frame with grained leather details and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.
The Minu V2 is a great option if you're looking for something with a similar look but at a price that is lower. The sleek, one-hand steer model isn't as light than some of the other prams we tried however it comes with a 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're a first-time parent we suggest you look into a travel system bundle that includes a pram and car seat that can be attached to the same frame. This makes it easier for parents to move their child from their car to the pram without having to awake them. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and practical pram that is able to be easily converted from a 'pramette, or a lie-flat 'pramette to a stroller for toddlers compatible with the Graco iSize car seat.
Safety
The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also have no gaps where their legs or heads can get trapped. The straps must be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. 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 lot of children are hospitalised because of injuries caused by prams and strollers. The most common reason for these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams can tip over if you attach bags on the handles, or if a child who is wriggling gets into or out of the seat without the harness being secured.
A common cause of injury involves falling off a
foldable pram or stroller. If the harness of a baby is not secured properly, it could cause them to fall from the stroller and sustain head or neck injuries. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the buckle on the harness is securely clicked into the correct position.
Some good prams also have a reversible canopy that will protect your baby from the sun in either direction. This feature is beneficial because you won't have to wake 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 the handlebar locks in place when you are not using it.
Never leave a sleeping baby in a pram without being in sight. Babies are prone to wiggle during sleep and could cause them to fall out of the stroller or pram. This could result in strangulation and suffocation. A pram or stroller is not an alternative to a crib and should be used only for short periods during the daytime.
Most prams require you to disassemble them in order to fit them into the car's boot so it is an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with this process before you buy one. Check how easy it will be to put the sections back together.
Durability
A pram must be able endure several years of wear. You need to ensure that your pram can handle the mud of a walk and also multiple car trips. It is important to ensure that your pram is the right color or design that will not date easily so you don't look like you've lost style.
The most effective prams are constructed of high-quality materials and are built to last, so you should look for robust fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an effective suspension system. The best prams will also have a compact fold, so they are easy to store in your garage or in the boot when not being used.
All the prams in this list allow your baby to lie down on their backs. This is essential for newborns, because it aids in the development of their hips and spine, and improves oxygenation levels. A lot of them are designed to adapt to your child's needs and some featuring a carrycot, or a fully reclined seat that can be moved on and off the frame when your little one outgrows it.
If you're buying a new pram for the first time, you may also be interested in a
travel stroller set that is a complete bundle that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. We are awestruck by the Graco Near2Me device that our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It has a nifty feature that raises and lowers your child with the click of a button, so you can maintain eye contact and keep them close which she described as being important for her son as he was at an exploratory stage.
Another option 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 luxurious pram that converts from a single to a double pushchair with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not
cheap stroller but you can use it for more than one child if needed and, as with our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth thanks to the carrycot included.
Style
Newborns need to lie flat as much as they can to help develop and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, which is why it's important that all prams support this. Some models allow a completely flat position by using a carrycot that is fully reclinable, while others feature a seat that reclines to a horizontal position.
The Graco Near2Me is brilliant for this, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old child. She was enthralled by the fact that she could raise or lower her little one with the press of a button, keeping him in sight, while still maintaining eye contact and closeness.
It's a great stroller for those who want to get around town without hassle since the frame is an ideal size for manoeuvring, while the puncture-proof tyres allow you to take it off road and onto rough terrain. It's a great choice if you plan to have another child in the future since it can be converted from a single pushchair to a
double pram and pushchair or twin.
The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish premium option that looks and feels impressive. It's ideal for infants as it comes with a lie-flat baby carrycot and is compatible with car seats when you purchase it separately. It can be folded while the carrycot still in place It's a feature that not all prams offer. This is time-saving and makes it more convenient to use.
Its luxurious fabrics, spacious shopping basket and puncture-proof tires are all the features you'd expect to find on a high-end pram and its sleek design makes it easy to handle across a variety of terrains.
