Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide Towards Good Prams

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 great pram is a blend of safety, comfort and design that makes walking fun for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for infants to 3 years old. Its reversible handle allows you to tilt the seat so that your child can either face you or the world around them.

Comfort

If you're out and about with a baby, you want to be sure they're comfortable. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure your child doesn't feel a thing.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide allow your baby to lie flat, which is important for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and helps support their growing spine and hips. They also come with seats which can be transformed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit up.

Venicci egg2 is a premium pram with a cocoon feel for your baby. It is smooth and has curvaceous lines as well as a bucket-shaped seating, that doesn't recline to a flat position however it does come with a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams, with a weight of less than 8kg. However, it still has a sturdy frame with the grained leather accents and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.

The Minu V2 is a great option to consider if you're looking to buy something with a similar design but at a price that is lower. The sleek one-hand steer model isn't as light as the other prams we tested but it has an impressively large storage basket, as well as an extended hood with UPF50+ protection to keep your baby protected and shaded.

If you are a first-time parent we suggest that you consider a travel system that includes a car seat as well as a pram that are attached to the same frame. This makes it easier for parents to transfer their child from their car to the pram without having to wake them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a stylish and functional travel system pram that converts easily from a'pramette' lying flat to a pushchair for toddlers compatible with the Graco I-Size car seats.

Safety

The pram should come with five-point safety harnesses that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also not have any gaps where their legs or heads could get stuck. The straps should be cushioned and easy to adjust as they expand. Examine the buckles on the harness to make sure they're not cracked and show signs of wear. A lot of children are hospitalized each year because of injuries from strollers or prams. The main reason for these injuries is the result of a stroller tipping over. Even the strongest prams can topple when you hang your bags onto the handles or if a child is wriggling and falls out or in the seat before the harness has been tightened.

Another frequent cause of injuries is falling from the pram or stroller. If a child is not properly secured, they could fall out of the stroller and sustain head or neck injuries. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the buckle on the harness is clicked into the proper position.

Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from sun in either direction. This feature is beneficial because you won't have to wake up your baby every time you alter their position in the stroller, or when you go into and out of shops. There are also other features that can be useful, for example a snack tray for your child or toddler and drink holders. You can also find a basket for shopping underneath the seat.

Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram without having them within sight. Babies tend to wiggle while asleep and this can cause them to fall off the stroller or pram and could result in suffocation or strangulation. A stroller or pram is not a substitute for the cot. It is best to use it for short periods during the daytime.

The majority of prams require you to dismantle them to put them in the boot of your car so it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with this procedure before purchasing one. Consider how easy it would be to put the parts back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be durable enough to endure many years of wear and tear. This includes the need to endure walking in the rain and many car journeys, so you need to ensure that your choice is able to do the job you need it to. It is also important for your stroller to have a print or colour that won't date quickly to avoid looking like you've gone out of style.

The most reliable prams are constructed from high-quality materials and built to last. Look for durable materials with sturdy tires, as well as an effective suspension system. The best prams are compact strollers and fold easily, allowing you to put them in your garage or boot.

All the prams on this list allow your baby to lie on their backs. This is crucial for newborns, because it aids in the development of their spine and hips and improves oxygenation levels. A lot of them are designed to adapt to your child's needs with some having a carrycot or a fully reclined seat that can be clicked off and back on the frame when your child is no longer using it.

If you are considering buying an infant stroller for the first time you should consider a travel pushchair system that has the carrycot as well as a car seat may be of interest. 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 allows you to raise and lower your baby at the touch of a button so you can keep your eyes on them 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 kids Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pushchair that converts from a single to double pushchair and has 30 different configurations, and comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not expensive but you can use it for multiple children if necessary. Like our top pick iCandy Orange 3, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot is a great option to use from the moment of birth.

Style

Newborns need to lay flat as much as they can to help develop and increase the oxygen level in their lungs. Therefore, it's essential that all prams permit this. Some models allow a completely flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycot, while others have seats that recline to a flat 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 ability to raise or lower her child with a push of a button to keep him in view and still maintain the eye contact and closeness.

It's a great stroller for those that want to nip around town with ease as the frame is a good size for manoeuvring, while the puncture-proof tyres permit you to take it off road and into rough terrain. It's also a smart choice if you're planning on having a second child in the future since it is able to convert from a single pushchair to a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish premium option that looks and feels luxurious. It's ideal for babies as it comes with a carrycot that can be rolled flat and is compatible with a car-seat if purchased separately. It can be folded by putting the carrycot in place which is something isn't the case with all prams which is why it's a time-saving and hassle-free feature.

Its luxurious fabrics, large shopping basket and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of things you'd expect on a pram of the highest quality, but its sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver on any terrain. This is an excellent choice if you live in the city and must navigate narrow streets and crowded walkways frequently. The pram isn't cheap, but its versatility and quality can save you money over time by avoiding the need for a separate toddler stroller. You can choose from a range of colors to suit your preferences.