Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide To Good Prams

What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a foldable pushchair or stroller) is the main form of transport for infants and toddlers. A good pram is a blend of safety, comfort and design that makes walking enjoyable for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for newborns and 3-year-old children. Its reversible handle allows you to rotate the seat so your child can look at you or the world around them.

Comfort

You want your baby to feel comfortable when you're out with them. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure that your baby doesn't feel a thing.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide allow your baby to lie flat, which is essential for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and assists in the development of their spine and hips. The seats can also be adjusted to an upright position once your baby is capable of sitting up.

For a truly luxurious feel this Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon-like feel for your baby with sleek, curvaceous lines and a bucket-shape seating that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position, but it does have padding on the mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams available at less than 8kg, but it has a sturdy chassis and grained leather accents, plus air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof, and can be used in more rural environments.

The Minu V2 is a great option if you're looking for something with a similar look but at a lower price. The swish-looking one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as some of the other prams we tested but it has an impressively large storage basket and extendable hood with UPF 50+ protection, which will keep your baby shaded and protected.

If you're new to parenting We suggest that you look into a travel system that includes a car seat as well as a pram that can be attached to the same frame. This makes it much easier for parents to move their child from the car to the pram without having to wake them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that is able to be easily converted from a 'pramette' or lie-flat 'pramette, to a stroller for toddlers compatible with the Graco ISize car seat.

Safety

A pram should be equipped with a five-point safety harness to keep your baby safe and secure. It should not have any gaps that could trap their heads or legs. The straps must be cushioned, and easily adjustable as your child grows. It is also important to check the harness buckles to ensure that they aren't damaged or showing signs of wear and tear. Many children are hospitalised every year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. Tipping over is the main reason for these injuries. Even the strongest prams can topple when you strap bags to the handles or if the child is wriggling or squirming and falls into or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.

Another common cause of injury is falling off the stroller or pram. If a baby is not securely secured in the pram, they may fall out of the stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. It is therefore essential to ensure that the buckle on the harness is locked into the proper position.

Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can shield your baby from sun in both directions. This is a useful feature because it will prevent having to wake your child awake when you change their position in the pram, or when you go into and out of shops. Other handy features include a snack tray and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a shopping basket underneath the seat, and the handlebar locks in place when you are not using it.

Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram if you are not in sight. Babies are known to wiggle when asleep, which can cause them to fall off the stroller or pram and could result in strangulation or suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not an alternative to the cot. It should only be used for short periods of time during the day.

It is essential to disassemble the majority of prams to fit them into the boot of your vehicle. This process must be mastered before you buy one. Find out 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. You should ensure that your pram can handle slippery walks as well as a variety of car trips. Also, you want your stroller to have a print or colour that isn't prone to fading quickly to avoid looking like you've fallen out of style.

The best prams are constructed from high-quality materials and designed to last. Look for durable materials with sturdy tires, as well as an effective suspension system. The top prams feature a compact fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or in the boot when not when not in use.

All the prams in this list allow babies to lie on their backs. This is crucial for newborns, as it helps them develop their spine and hips and improves oxygenation levels. A lot of these prams are designed to grow with your child. Some have carrycots, or a reclined seat that can be removed and snapped on when your child is outgrowing them.

If you are buying an infant folding stroller for the first time you should consider a travel system that comes with the carrycot as well as a car seat may be of interest. We love the Graco Near2Me system which our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It has an innovative feature that lets you raise and lower your child by pressing one button. This allows you to keep eye contact with your child and keep them close.

Another alternative is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two children, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pushchair that converts from a single pushchair to double pushchair and has 30 possible configurations. It also comes with luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap 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 carrycot included.

Style

Newborns should lay flat as often as they can in order to promote development and increase the oxygen level in their lungs, which is why it's essential that all prams permit this. Some models permit an all-flat position by using a carrycot that can be completely reclined, while others have a seat that can be reclined to a horizontal or a vertical position.

The Graco Near2Me comes with the latter and it's brilliant at that as our parent tester Jaya found when she tested it with her son who was 10 months old. She was enthralled by the fact that she could raise and lower her little one with the press of a button and keep him in the view of others while maintaining eye contact and closeness.

The frame is perfect to take a stroll around town and the puncture-proof tires permit you to take it off the road or on rough terrain. It's a great option when you are planning to have another child in the future, as it can easily be transformed from a single pushchair to a twin or double.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish premium option that looks and feels impressive. It's suitable for babies because 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 It's a feature that not all prams have. This is time-saving and makes it simpler to use.

The pram's luxurious fabrics as well as the spacious basket and puncture-proof tires are features you'd expect on a high-end model However, the sleek frame makes it easy for you to maneuver on various terrains. It's also an ideal choice for those who live in a large city and must navigate narrow streets or overcrowded sidewalks regularly. This pram is not cheap but its versatility and quality could save you money in the long run by avoiding the need for a separate toddler stroller. It's available in a broad range of colors, as well, so you can pick one that matches your personal style.