What Makes Good Prams?
A pram, also referred to as a stroller, pushchair or sling, is the primary mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A good pram combines safety, comfort, and design to make walking enjoyable for all the family.
The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby foldable stroller is a great pram for newborns up to 3 year old children. The reversible handle lets you to turn the seat so that your child can look at either 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 made to ensure your child isn't apprehensive.
All the prams listed in this guide allow your baby lie flat. This is important for newborns since it improves oxygenation and supports their hips and spine. They also have seats that can be changed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.
For a really high-end experience this Venicci egg2 provides a warm feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curvaceous lines and a bucket-shape seating that does not recline to a lying-flat position but does have padding on the mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams, at a weight of just 8kg. But it has a sturdy frame with finely textured leather and tyres that are air-filled, which are puncture-proof.
The Minu V2 is a great option when you're looking for a model with a similar design but at a lower price. The sleek one-hand steer model isn't as light as the other prams we tried but it has an impressively large storage basket, as well as an the ability to extend the hood, which comes with UPF 50+ protection that'll keep your baby safe and shaded.
If you're a first time parent, we recommend that you consider a travel system package which includes a car seat and 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 get them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and practical pram that can be converted easily 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 ensure your baby is safe and free of any gaps to trap their heads or legs. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they grow. Also, you should examine the buckles on your harness to ensure they are not cracked or showing signs of wear and tear. Every year, a large number of children are hospitalised because of injuries caused by prams and strollers. The primary cause of these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams could tip over if you hook bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling or squirming and falls into or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.
A frequent cause of injury is falling from a pram or stroller. If a child's harness is not fastened properly, it could cause them to fall out of the stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. It is therefore essential to make sure 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 any direction. This is a great feature because it will prevent having to wake your child awake while you change their position in the pram or while you are to and from the shops. Other handy features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a basket for shopping under the seat, and a handlebar that locks into position when you are not using it.
Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram without being in sight. Babies are prone to wiggle during sleep and this could cause them to fall out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A pram or a stroller should not be used as a substitute for the crib. It should only be used for short periods of time during the day.
The majority of prams require you to dismantle them to put them in the boot of your car so it's an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with the process before you buy one. Also, consider how easy it is to get the different sections back together and then click them into place.
Durability
A pram needs to be able to last through several years of wear and tear. This includes having to deal with muddy walks and getting through many car journeys, so you want to be sure your choice is able to fulfill the tasks you require it to. Also, you want your stroller to have an image or color that isn't prone to fading quickly so you don't end up looking like you've gone out of style.
The top prams are constructed of high-quality materials and are designed to last, so you should look for strong and durable materials, robust wheels and a well-designed suspension system. The top prams have a compact fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or in the boot when not in use.
All prams on this list allow a baby to lie flat, which is vital for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their spine and hips. A lot of these prams are designed to grow along with your child's. Some include a carrycot, or a fully-reclined chair that can be easily removed and put back on as your child grows.
If you're looking to purchase a brand new pram for the first time, you might be looking for a travel system prams system that is a complete bundle that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. We love the Graco Near2Me system that our parent facing pushchair tester Jaya used with her 10-month-old son. It is a revolutionary feature that lets you raise and lower your baby at the touch of one button. This allows you to keep eye contact with them and keep them close.
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 luxury pram that converts from a single pushchair to double pushchair and has 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 improve oxygen levels in the lungs. Some models allow a completely flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycot, while others have a seat that reclines to a flat position.
The Graco Near2Me comes with the latter feature and is fantastic at what it does, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her son who was 10 months old. She loved the ability to raise or lower her child at the touch of an button, keeping him in sight while maintaining eye contact and proximity.
It's a great pram for those who want to get around town easily as the frame is a great size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres let you remove it from the road and onto rough terrain. It's an excellent choice when you are planning to have a child in the near future since it can be transformed from a single pushchair to a twin or double.
The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish and high-end product that is both stylish and comfortable. It's suitable for babies because it includes a carrycot that can be folded flat and is compatible with a car-seat when purchased separately. You can fold it by putting the carrycot in place which is something not all prams can do which is why it's a time-saving and hassle-free feature.
Its luxurious fabrics, spacious shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of features you'd expect to see on a pram of the highest quality however, its sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver on a variety of terrains. This is a great choice if you live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or crowded pathways frequently. Although it's not cheap but the quality and versatility of this stroller will save you money over the long term by not having to invest in a separate toddler pushchair. You can pick from a variety of colors that will fit your personal style.