Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide To Good Prams

What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or pushchair) is the most popular form of transport for infants and toddlers. A well-designed pram is a combination of safety, comfort and style to make walking enjoyable for all the family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller makes a great stroller for infants to three years old. The adjustable handle can be turned around to allow you to turn the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

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

All the prams listed in this guide allow your baby lay flat. This is essential for babies as it increases oxygenation and helps support their hips and spine. The seats can also be adjusted to an upright position once your child is capable of sitting up.

Venicci egg2 is a high-end pram that offers a cocoon-like feel for your baby. It is smooth and has curvaceous lines, a bucket-shaped seat, which doesn't recline into a flat position however it does come with an upholstered mattress and liner. It's also lighter than other prams, at a weight of just 8kg. However, it has a sturdy chassis with finely textured leather and tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof.

If you want something more budget-friendly but still with the same design Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The one-hand steer, swish model isn't quite as light as other prams, but it does have a large storage basket. It also has an hood that can be extended, which provides UPF 50+ protection to keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you're a first time parent, we recommend you consider the 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 transfer their child from the car to the pram without having to get them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a fashionable and practical travel system pram that converts easily from a'pramette' that lies flat to a pushchair for toddlers, compatible with the Graco i-Size car seat.

Safety

A pram should be equipped with a five-point safety harness to ensure your baby is safe and free of any gaps to trap their legs or head. The straps must be cushioned and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on your harness to ensure they are not cracked and show signs of wear. Every year, a lot of children are admitted to hospitals due to injuries caused by prams and strollers. Tipping over is the most common reason for these injuries. Even the sturdiest 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 done up.

Another common cause of injury is falling from the pram or stroller. If a baby isn't securely fastened 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 an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from the sun in either direction. This is a useful feature as you can avoid having to wake your baby up when you are changing their position in the pram or when you are into and out of shops. There are also other features that could be useful, such as an eating tray for your child or toddler and drink holders. There's also an extra shopping basket under the seat.

It is not advisable to let a child sleep in their pram unless you are within sight of them at all times. Babies can be prone to wiggle during sleep, which could cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram pushchair is not a substitute for a cot and should be used only for short periods during the daytime.

It is necessary to disassemble the majority of prams to place them in the boot of your vehicle. This process must be mastered before you purchase one. Check how easy it will be to put the pieces back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to endure several years of wear. You should ensure that your stroller can withstand the mud of a walk as well as a variety of car trips. You should ensure that your pram is a colour or print that won't fade easily to avoid looking like you've fallen out of fashion.

The top prams are constructed of high-quality materials and have been designed to last, so look for strong and durable materials, robust wheels and a well-designed suspension system. The top prams feature a compact strollers fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or the boot when not in use.

All the prams in this list allow infants to lay flat, which is essential for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels and aids in the development of their hips and spine. A lot of these prams are designed to grow with your child's. Some include a carrycot or a fully-reclined chair that can be easily removed and put back on when your child outgrows them.

If you are purchasing an infant stroller for the first time, a travel system that has a carrycot and a car seat may be worth a look. Our tester for parents Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month old son. It comes with a handy feature that can raise or lower your child at the push of a button. This way you can keep eye contact and keep them close which she claimed was important to her since he was at an exploratory stage.

Another alternative is another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two kids, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pram that converts from a single pushchair to double pram pushchair, with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proofed tyres. It's not cheap, but you could use it for more than one child in the event of need and, as with our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth using the included carrycot.

Style

All prams should allow newborns to lie as flat as they can. This will help with their development and increase oxygen levels in the lungs. Some models provide a flat position using a fully reclineable carrycot while others feature a seat that reclines to an upright position.

The Graco Near2Me comes with the latter feature and is fantastic at what it does as our tester for parents Jaya discovered when she tried it with her 10-month-old son. She was thrilled to be able to raise or lower her child with a push of the button to keep him in the same position, while still maintaining the eye contact and closeness.

It's a great pram for those who wish to get around town with ease as the frame is an ideal size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres permit you to move it off the road and on to rough terrain. It's also a great choice if you're planning on having a second child in the future since it is able to convert from a single pram to a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a stylish, high-end option. It's suitable for newborns because it comes with a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with car seats, if you buy it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot still in place This is an option that not all prams provide. This reduces time and makes it simpler to use.

The pram double's luxurious fabric large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are things you'd expect in a top model however, the sleek frame makes it simple to maneuver over various terrains. This is an excellent choice when you live in a city and must navigate narrow streets or crowded paths frequently. Although it's not inexpensive, the quality and versatility of this pram make it possible to save you money in the end by not having to buy a separate toddler pushchair. You can pick from a wide range of colors to match your style.