10 Things We Love About Good Prams

What Makes Good Prams?

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

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a great stroller for babies to three years old. Its reversible handle allows you to rotate the seat so your child can look at you or the world around them.

Comfort

Your baby should feel comfortable when you're out with them. The good news is that there are prams made to ensure your little one isn't apprehensive.

The prams we've chosen in this buying guide allow your baby to lie flat, which is important for infants as lying flat improves oxygen levels and supports their developing hips and spine. They also have seats which can be transformed to more upright positions when your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a premium pram that offers a cocoon-like feeling for your baby. It is smooth and has curved lines and a bucket-shaped seat which doesn't recline into flat however it does come with a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams on the market at less than 8kg, but it has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather details as well as tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof and can take on more rural settings.

If you're looking for something more budget-friendly but with the same style, the Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The stylish one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as the other prams we've tested however it comes with a large storage basket, as well as an extended hood with UPF50+ protection that'll keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you're a first-time parent We suggest you consider a travel system package which includes a car seat and pram and travel system that attaches to the same frame. This will make it easier to get your baby from the car to the pram without having to wake them up and is ideal for busy parents on the go. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a stylish and useful pram for travel that can be converted easily from a'pramette' lying flat into a toddler-friendly pushchair that is compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also not have any gaps between their head and legs that could get stuck. The straps should be padded and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to make sure they're not cracked and show signs of wear. Many children are hospitalised every year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. The most common cause of these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams can topple when you hang bags to the handles or if the child is wriggling or squirming and falls in or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.

Another common cause of injuries is falling from the pram or stroller. If a baby's harness is not fastened properly it can cause them to fall from the stroller and suffer head or neck injuries. Therefore, it is important to always ensure that the buckle on the harness is locked into place.

A few good prams also come with a canopy that can be reversible to shield your baby from the sun in any direction. This feature is beneficial because you don't have to wake up your baby every time you change their position in the stroller, or when you go in and out of shops. There are also other features that could be useful, like snacks for your toddler or child and drink holders. There's also a shopping basket underneath the seat.

Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram without having them in sight. Babies are susceptible to wiggle while asleep and could cause them to fall out of the stroller or pram. This could result in strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram is not an alternative to a cot and should be used only for short periods during the daytime.

The majority of prams require you to disassemble them in order to fit them into the boot of your car so it is an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with this procedure before purchasing one. Also, consider how easy it is to get the different sections back together before putting them in place.

Durability

A pram should be able to endure a long time of wear. This includes having to deal with the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, which is why you want to be sure your choice will perform the task you want it to. It is important to ensure that your pram is in a colour or print that won't fade easily so that you don't appear like you've fallen out of style.

The most reliable prams are constructed from high-quality materials and designed to last. Look for durable materials with sturdy tires, as well as an effective suspension system. The most reliable prams have a compact fold so you can store them easily in your garage or the boot when not being used.

All prams on this list allow a baby to lay flat, which is vital for newborns because it improves oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their spine and hips. Many of these prams have been designed to grow along with your child's. Some have a carrycot or a reclined chair that can be removed and snapped on as your child grows.

If you are considering buying a pram for the first time, a travel system that has the carrycot as well as car seats could be a good idea. Our parent tester Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me System that she used with her 10-month-old son. It has a nifty feature that allows you to raise and lower your child at the push of a button so you can maintain eye contact and keep them close, which she described as being important for her son as he was in an exploratory stage.

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

Style

Newborns must lay flat as often as they can to help develop and improve the oxygen saturation of their lungs, so it's important that all prams permit this. Some models allow a completely flat surface with a fully-reclinable carrycot while others feature a seat that reclines to a flat position.

The Graco Near2Me is brilliant for this as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tested it on her 10-month-old daughter. She loved the fact that she could raise or lower her baby at the push of a button to keep him in the view of others, while still maintaining eye contact and closeness.

The frame is ideal for nipping around town and the puncture-proof wheels permit you to drive it off the road or on rough terrain. It's a great option when you are planning to have a child in the near future, as it can easily be transformed from a single pushchair into a twin or double pram.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It is suitable for newborns since it includes a carrycot that can be rolled flat and is compatible with car seats when purchased separately. It is able to be folded with the carrycot still in place This is an option that not all prams provide. This is time-saving and makes it simpler to use.

The pram's luxurious fabric as well as the spacious basket and puncture-proof tires are all features you'd expect on a high-end model However, the sleek frame makes it simple to maneuver over various terrains. It's also a great choice if you live in a city and need to negotiate narrow streets or crowded sidewalks regularly. This pram is not cheap but its versatility and quality can save you money over time by avoiding the purchase of a separate toddler stroller. You can choose from a wide range of colors to match your style.