What Makes Good Prams?

A pram, also known as a pushchair, stroller or a Sling, is the most popular method of transport for infants and toddlers. A quality pram blends comfort, safety and design to make walking enjoyable for the whole family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a great stroller for children from newborns to three years old. The Reversible handle lets you flip the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

You want your child to be at ease when you're out with them. There are prams that will ensure your baby doesn't feel any sensations.

All the prams in this guide allow your baby lie flat. This is important for newborns since it improves oxygenation and helps support their spine and hips. They also come with a seat which can be transformed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit up.

Venicci egg2 is a high-end pram that has a cocoon-like feeling for your baby. It is smooth and has curvaceous lines and a bucket-shaped seat which does not recline into an upright position however it does come with an upholstered mattress and liner. It's also a little lighter than the majority of prams, weighing under 8kg but still has solid chassis and grained leather details as well as tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof and can handle more rugged terrains.

The Minu V2 is a great choice to consider if you're looking to buy something with a similar look but for a lesser price. The stylish one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as the other prams we tested however it comes with a large storage basket, as well as an 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 which includes a pram and a car seat that attach to the same frame. This makes it easier to get your baby from the car to the pram without having to wake them up and is ideal for parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a fashionable and practical pram for travel that can be converted easily from a'pramette' that lies flat into a toddler-friendly pushchair, compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will keep your baby safe. It should also not have any gaps in which their heads or legs could get stuck. The straps must be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to ensure that they are not cracked and have signs of wear. Every year, a large number of children are admitted to hospitals due to injuries caused by prams or strollers. Tipping over is the main reason for these injuries. Even the most robust prams could tip over if you attach bags to the handles or if a child who is wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without the harness being secured.

Another frequent cause of injuries is falling from the stroller or pram. If a baby is not securely secured in the pram, they could fall out of the stroller and sustain head or neck injuries. This is why it is vital to ensure that the harness buckle is always clicked into place.

Some good prams also have a canopy that can be reversible to shield your baby from the sun in both directions. This feature is useful because you don't have to wake up your baby every time you change their position in the stroller, or when you enter and out of shops. There are other features that could be useful, for example a snack tray for your toddler or child and drink holders. There is also a shopping basket underneath the seat.

Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram without having them within sight. Babies are prone to wiggle during sleep and this can cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to suffocation and strangulation. A pram or a stroller is not a substitute for the cot. It should only be used for short periods during the daytime.

It is necessary to disassemble most prams in order to place them in the boot of your vehicle. This procedure is something you should know before you purchase one. Also, consider how it is simple to put the different parts back together before putting to put them back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be durable enough to withstand many years of wear and wear and tear. You want to make sure that your baby's pram is able to handle the mud of a walk, as well as multiple car trips. You want to make sure that your stroller is in a color or pattern that will not date easily so you don't look as if you've slipped out of style.

The most reliable prams are made of high-quality materials, and are designed to last. You should look for durable fabrics as well as sturdy tires and an efficient suspension system. The best prams will also feature a compact fold so they are easy to store in your garage or in the boot when not when not in use.

All prams on this list allow the baby to lie down on their backs. This is essential for infants as it helps them develop their hips and spine and improves oxygenation levels. Many are designed to grow with your child, with some of them featuring a carrycot, or a fully reclined seat that can be moved off and on the frame when your child outgrows it.

If you are considering buying a pram for the very first time you should consider a travel system that includes both the carrycot as well as car seats could be worth a look. We are awestruck by the Graco Near2Me system that our parent tester Jaya used with her 10-month-old son. It has a nifty feature that can raise or lower your baby at the touch of a button so you can keep eye contact and keep them close which she described as being important to her 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 pushchair that converts from a single pushchair to double pushchair, with 30 possible configurations. It also comes with premium fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap however, you can use it with multiple children if necessary. Similar to our winner, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot included is a great option to use from the moment of birth.

Style

Newborns should lie flat as much as they can in order to promote development and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, which is why it's essential that all prams support this. Some models allow an entirely flat position using a carrycot that is fully reclined, whereas others feature a seat that reclines to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me works great for the latter as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old child. She loved the fact that she could raise and lower her baby at the touch of a button and keep him in view and still maintain eye contact and a closeness.

This frame is perfect for nipping around town, and the puncture-proof tires permit you to take it off road or over rough terrain. It's an excellent choice when you are planning to have another child in the near future because it can easily be converted from a single pushchair to a double or twin.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It's suitable for newborns because it comes with a lie-flat baby carrycot and is compatible with car seats in the event that you purchase it separately. It can be folded while the carrycot still in place It's a feature that not all prams provide. This saves time and makes it more convenient to use.

Its luxurious fabrics, large shopping basket and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of features you'd expect to see on a pram of the highest quality and its sleek design makes it easy to handle on any terrain. This is a great choice when you live in a city and have to navigate narrow streets and crowded paths frequently. Although it's not inexpensive but the quality and versatility of this model will save you money in the end by eliminating the need to purchase a separate toddler pushchair. It's available in a broad variety of colors, too, so you can pick one that matches your personal style.