Guide To Good Prams: The Intermediate Guide For Good Prams
What Makes Good Prams?
A pram (also known as a pushchair or stroller) is the primary mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram combines comfort, safety and design that makes walking fun for all family members.
The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for babies 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 a baby, you want to be sure they're comfortable. There are prams to ensure your baby doesn't feel anything.
The prams we've selected in this buying guide all let your baby lie flat, which is important for newborn babies as lying flat improves oxygen saturation and helps support their growing hips and spine. They also come with a seat which can be transformed to a more upright position when your baby is old enough to sit.
For a truly luxurious feel, the Venicci egg2 has a cosy cocoon feel for your newborn with smooth, curved lines and a bucket-shape seats that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position but does have an upholstered liner and mattress. It's also lighter than many prams, weighing under 8kg. However, it still has a sturdy frame with the grained leather accents and tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof.
The Minu V2 is a great option when you're looking for a model with a similar look but for a lesser 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, as well as an the ability to extend the hood, which comes with UPF 50+ protection to keep your baby shaded and protected.
If you are a first-time parent We suggest you consider the travel system that includes a car seat as well as a pram that attaches to the same frame. This makes it easier for parents to transfer their baby from the car to the pram without having to awake them. 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 toddler-friendly pushchair, compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.
Safety
A pram must have a five-point safety harness to ensure your baby is safe and free of any gaps to entrap their legs or heads. The straps must be padded and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to make sure they're not damaged and show signs of wear. Many children are hospitalised each year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. Tipping over is the primary reason for these injuries. Even the most robust prams could fall over if you hang bags onto the handles, or if a child with a wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without the harness being properly secured.
A frequent cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If a baby is not securely fastened in the pram, they could fall out of the stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. It is therefore important to ensure that the buckle on the harness is securely clicked into place.
Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from sun in any direction. 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 useful features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your baby or toddler, a basket for shopping underneath the seat, and the handlebar locks into position when you are not using it.
Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram without having them within reach. Babies can be prone to wiggle during sleep and can cause them to roll out of the stroller or pram newborn. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not an alternative to a crib. It is best to use it for short periods during the daytime.
It is essential to disassemble the majority of prams to place them into the boot of your vehicle. This procedure should be familiarised with before you purchase a pram. Also check how it is simple to put the different parts back together and click them in place.
Durability
A pram must be able endure a long time of wear. This includes the need to endure walking in the rain and many car journeys, which is why you need to ensure that your choice will fulfill the tasks you require it to. You also want your pram to be in a print or colour that doesn't get outdated to avoid looking like you've fallen out of fashion.
The top prams are constructed from high-quality materials and are designed to last, so look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels and an efficient suspension system. The most reliable prams feature a compact fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or the boot when not when not in use.
All the prams on this list allow babies to lie down flat. This is important for babies, because it allows them to develop their hips and spine, and boosts oxygen levels. Many of these prams are designed to grow with your child's. Some include a carrycot, or a reclined chair that can be snapped on and off as your child grows.
If you're looking to purchase a brand new pram for the first time, you may be interested in a travel set which is an all-in-one package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our test-driver for parents Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me System she used with her 10-month old son. It comes with a handy feature that raises and lowers your child with the click of a button so you can keep eye contact and keep them close which she said was really important for her son as he was in an exploratory stage.
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 pushchair that can be transformed from a single pushchair into double, with 30 different configurations. It also comes with the sun canopy which can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not cheap, but you can use it for more than one child if needed and, as with our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth using the included carrycot.
Style
Newborns need to lay flat as much as they can to help develop and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, which is why it's essential that all prams allow this. Some models permit an all-flat position by using the carrycot which is completely reclined, while others have a seat that can be reclined to a horizontal or a vertical position.
The Graco Near2Me works great for the latter, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her child who was 10 months old. She loved the ability to raise or lower her child at the touch of an button, keeping him in the same position and still maintain closeness and eye contact.
It's a great choice for those who want to get around town easily as the frame is an ideal size for manoeuvring, while 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 another child in the near future because it easily converts from a single pram into a double pram or twin pushchair.
The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish and high-end product that is both stylish and comfortable. It's ideal for babies because it comes with a lie-flat baby carrycot and is compatible with car seats when you purchase it separately. You can fold it by putting the carrycot in place and it's something that isn't the case with all prams and is an easy and time-saving feature.
Its luxe fabrics, spacious shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of features you'd expect to find on a high-end pram and its sleek design makes it easy to maneuver on a variety of terrains. This is an excellent choice for those who live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or congested walkways regularly. Although it's not cheap however, the durability and quality of this pram mean that it can save you money over the long term by avoiding the need to purchase a separate toddler pushchair. It's available in a wide variety of colors, as well, so you can choose one that matches your personal style.