What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also known as a pushchair or stroller) is the main form of transport for infants and toddlers. A quality pram is a blend of comfort, safety and design that makes walking enjoyable for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for babies to three years old. The reversible handle lets you to tilt the seat so your child can face you or the world around them.

Comfort

When you're out and about with your baby, you'll want to ensure that they're safe. The good news is that there are prams designed to ensure your child isn't apprehensive.

The prams we've picked in this buying guide all allow your baby to lie flat, which is crucial for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and helps support their growing hips and spine. They also have a seat which can be transformed to a more upright position when your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a top-of-the-line pram with a cocoon feeling for your baby. It has smooth, curving lines and a bucket-shaped seat that doesn't recline to an upright position however, it does come with a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than other prams, weighing under 8kg. However, it is sturdy and has finely textured leather and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.

The Minu V2 is a great choice if you're looking for something with a similar design but at a price that is lower. The swish-looking one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight than some of the other prams we tried but it has an impressively large storage basket and extendable hood with UPF 50+ protection, which will keep your baby protected and shaded.

If you're the first parent of your child we recommend the travel system bundle that includes a pram and a car seat that attach to the same frame. This allows parents to transfer their child from the car to the pram without having to wake them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that is able to be easily converted from a 'pramette or a 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 that could trap their legs or head. The straps must be cushioned, and easily adjustable as your child grows. Check the buckles on the harness to make sure they're not cracked and show signs of wear. Each year, many children are admitted to hospitals due to injuries caused by prams or strollers. The most common cause of these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams can topple when you strap your bags onto the handles or if a child is wriggling or squirming and falls into or out of the seat before the harness has been tightened.

A common cause of injury is falling from a pram, or stroller. If a baby is not securely secured in, 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 the proper position.

Some good prams also have a reversible canopy that will protect your baby from sun in either direction. This feature is helpful since you don't need to wake your baby every time you alter their position in the stroller, or when you go in and out of stores. Other handy features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a basket for shopping underneath the seat, and a handlebar that can be locked into place when you're not using it.

Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram without being in sight. Babies are prone to wiggle during sleep and could cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This could result in strangulation and suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not a substitute for the crib. It is best to use it for short periods of time during the daytime.

It is essential to disassemble the majority of prams to fit them into the boot of your vehicle. This process must be mastered before you buy one. Check how easy it will be to put the parts back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to endure several years of wear. You should ensure that your baby's pram is able to handle muddy walks, as well as multiple car trips. It is also important for your pram to come in the form of a color or print that won't date quickly to avoid looking like you've gone out of style.

The best prams are constructed of top-quality materials and are designed to last. Look for durable materials with sturdy tires, as well as a well-designed system of suspension. The top prams feature a compact travel stroller fold so they are easy to store in your garage or boot when not being used.

All prams on this list allow a baby to lie flat, which is essential for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels as well as aids in the development of their hips and spine. Many of these prams are designed to expand with your child. Some include carrycots, or a reclined chair that can be snapped on and off when your child is outgrowing them.

If you are purchasing a pram for the first time you should consider a travel system that includes both the carrycot as well as a car seat could be a good idea. Our test-driver for parents Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me System she used with her 10-month old son. It is a revolutionary feature that allows you to raise and lower your child by pressing a single button. This allows you to maintain eye contact with the baby and keep them in close proximity.

The Bugaboo Fox 3 is another option that our tester Jess Bird tried with her two babies Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pushchair that can be converted from a single pushchair to a double pushchair with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap but it can be used for multiple children, if needed. Similar to our winner model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot is a great option to use as early as.

Style

Newborns must lay flat as often as they can in order to promote development and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, so it's essential that all prams permit this. Some models create a completely flat position using a fully reclineable carrycot, while others have a seat that reclines to a flat position.

The Graco Near2Me features the latter feature, and it's fantastic at what it does, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her 10-month-old son. She loved the ability to raise or lower her infant with a push of a button to keep him in view, while still maintaining eye contact and proximity.

The frame is perfect for city trips and the puncture-proof wheels allow you to take it off road or on rough terrain. It's also a good option if you're thinking of having another child in 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 high-end, stylish option. It's ideal for babies because it includes a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with car seats when you purchase it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot in place - something that not all prams can do, so it's an efficient and easy feature.

Its luxurious fabrics, large shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kind of features you'd expect to find on a pram of the highest quality, but its sleek frame makes it easy to handle on any terrain. It's also a great option when you live in a large city and need to negotiate narrow streets or overcrowded sidewalks regularly. Although it's not cheap, the quality and versatility of this model mean that it can save you money over the long term by eliminating the need to invest in an additional pushchair for toddlers. It's available in an extensive range of colors, as well, so you can pick one that matches your personal style.