What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or pushchair) is the primary mode of transportation for babies and toddlers. A well-designed pram is a combination of safety, comfort, and style to make walking enjoyable for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller makes a great stroller for infants to 3 years old. The reversible handle lets you 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 that ensure that your baby isn't shivering anything.

All prams featured in this guide allow your baby to lie flat. This is crucial for newborns since it improves oxygenation and supports their hips and spine. They also have seats which can be transformed to more upright positions when your baby is old enough to sit.

For a truly luxurious experience it's the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon-like feel for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seating that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position but does have an upholstered liner and mattress. It's also a little lighter than most prams, weighing under 8kg but still has solid chassis and grained leather accents as well as tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof, and can be used in more rural environments.

If you're looking for something less expensive but with a similar design Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The stylish, one-hand steer model isn't as light than some of the other prams we tried but it has an impressively large storage basket and extended hood with UPF50+ protection, which will keep your baby shaded and protected.

If you're the first parent facing pram of your child we suggest you look into the travel system bundle that includes a pram and car seat that attach to the same frame. This allows parents to transfer their baby from the car to the pram without having to awake them. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that can be converted easily from a 'pramette, or a lie-flat 'pramette into a stroller that is toddler-friendly compatible with the Graco ISize car seat.

Safety

A pram should be equipped with a five-point safety harness to ensure your baby is secure and should not allow any gaps to entrap their heads or legs. The straps must be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. It is also important to examine the buckles on your harness to ensure they aren't damaged or showing signs of wear and tear. Each year, many children are admitted to hospitals because of injuries caused by prams and strollers. Tipping over is the main cause of these injuries. Even the most sturdy prams can topple if you hook bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling or squirming and falls out or in the seat before the harness has been tightened.

Another frequent cause of injury is falling from the stroller or pram uk. If a baby is not securely fastened in the pram, they may fall out of the stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. Therefore, it is important to always ensure that the buckle on the harness is securely clicked into place.

Some prams with good quality also have a reversible canopy that will shield your baby from sun in both directions. This feature is useful since you don't need to wake your baby every time you change their position in the stroller or when you go in stores and out. There are other features that can be useful, for example snacks for your child or toddler and drink holders. There's also a basket for shopping underneath the seat.

You should never leave a sleeping child in their stroller unless you are within sight of them at all times. Babies can be prone to wiggle during sleep, which can cause them to roll out of the stroller or foldable pram. This could result in strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram is not an alternative to a cot. It should only be used for short periods of time during the day.

It is necessary to take apart the majority of prams to put them into the trunk of your car. This procedure should be familiarised with before you purchase a pram. Consider how easy it would be to put the sections back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to last through many years of wear and wear and tear. This includes having to deal with walking in the rain and many car journeys, which is why you want to be sure your choice is able to do the job you need it to. It is also important for your stroller to have a print or colour that isn't prone to fading quickly so that you don't end up looking like you've gone out of fashion.

The top prams are constructed from high-quality materials and are built to last, so look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels, and a well-designed suspension system. The most effective prams are small and fold easily, so you can put them in your garage or boot.

All prams on this list allow a baby to lay flat, which is crucial for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels as well as aids in the development of their hips and spine. Many of these prams have been designed to grow with your child's. Some have a carrycot or a reclined seat that can be snapped on and off when your child is outgrowing them.

If you're buying a new pram for the first time, you may be interested in a travel system which is a package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our parent tester Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month-old son. It has an innovative feature that allows you to raise and lower your baby at the touch of a single button. This allows you to maintain eye contact with them 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 pram that can be converted from a single pushchair to double pushchair, with 30 possible configurations and features luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not inexpensive, but you can use it for more than one child if you need to. Like our top pick model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot included is a great option to use right from birth.

Style

Newborns should lay flat as much as they can to help develop and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, so it's essential that all prams allow this. Some models provide a flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycot while others feature a seat that reclines to an upright position.

The Graco Near2Me has the latter feature and is fantastic at that, as our parent tester Jaya found when she tested it with her 10-month-old son. She was thrilled that she could raise and lower her little one with the touch of a button and keep him in view while maintaining eye contact and closeness.

The frame is perfect for nipping around town and the puncture-proof wheels allow you to take it off road or over rough terrain. It's also a good choice if you're planning on having another child in future because it easily converts from a single pushchair to a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It's ideal for babies since it comes with a carrycot that can be rolled flat and is compatible with car seats if purchased separately. It can be folded while the carrycot still in place, which is something that not all prams provide. This is time-saving and makes it more convenient to use.

The pram's luxurious fabrics large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are all features you'd expect on a premium model However, the sleek frame makes it simple for you to maneuver on different terrains. This is a great choice for those who live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or crowded walkways regularly. It's not cheap, but its versatility and quality can save you money in the long run by avoiding the need for a separate toddler stroller. It's available in an extensive selection of colors as well, so you can choose one that matches your personal style.