What Makes Good Prams?

A pram, also referred to as a pushchair, stroller or a Sling, is the most popular mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A quality pram is a combination of safety, comfort and design that makes walking fun for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a great pram for newborns to 3-year-old children. The Reversible handle lets you flip the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

You want your baby to be comfortable when you're out with them. There are prams that will ensure your baby doesn't feel any sensations.

The prams we've picked in this buying guide allow your baby to lie flat, which is crucial for babies who are just beginning to crawl. Lying flat improves oxygen levels and helps support their growing spine and hips. The seats can also be adjusted to an upright position once your baby is able to sit up.

Venicci egg2 is a premium pram with a cocoon feel for your baby. It has smooth, curved lines as well as a bucket-shaped seating, which does not recline into an upright position however, it does come with an upholstered mattress and liner. It's also a little lighter than the majority of prams available at less than 8kg but has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather accents and air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and can be used in more rural environments.

The Minu V2 is a great choice to consider if you're looking to buy something with a similar look but for a lesser price. The one-hand steer model, swish, isn't as lightweight as other strollers, but it does have a large storage basket. It also comes with an hood that can be extended, which provides UPF 50+ protection, which keeps your baby protected and shaded.

If you are a first time parent we suggest that you look into a travel strollers system that includes a car seat and pram that are attached to the same frame. This makes it easier to get your baby from the car into the pram without having to wake them up and is ideal for parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel stroller system is an elegant and practical pram for newborn that is able to be easily converted from a 'pramette or a lie-flat 'pramette into a stroller that is toddler-friendly compatible with the Graco ISize car seats.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with five-point safety harnesses that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also not have any gaps in which their heads or legs can get trapped. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they expand. Check the buckles on the harness to ensure they are not cracked and show signs of wear. Each year, many children are admitted to hospitals due to injuries caused by prams or strollers. Tipping over is the primary cause of these injuries. Even the strongest prams can tip over if you hook your bags onto the handles or if the child is wriggling and gets in 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 child's harness is not secured properly it can cause them to fall from the stroller and sustain neck or head injuries. It is therefore important to make sure that the buckle on the harness is clicked into place.

Some prams with good quality also have a canopy that can be reversible to protect your baby from the sun in both directions. This feature is helpful because you don't have to wake up your baby every time you change their position in the stroller or when you enter stores and out. Other useful features include a tray for snacks and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a shopping basket underneath the seat, and a handlebar that locks in place when you are not using it.

Do not leave a baby asleep in a pram without having them in sight. Babies tend to wiggle while asleep and this may cause them to roll off the pram or stroller and can lead to strangulation or suffocation. A pram or stroller is not an alternative to a cot and should only be used for brief periods during the day.

It is necessary to disassemble most prams in order to put them into the boot of your vehicle. This process should be familiarised with before you buy one. Also, consider how easy it is to get the different parts back together before putting them into place.

Durability

A pram should be durable enough to endure several years of wear and tear. This includes the need to endure the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, which is why you want to be sure your choice will do the job you need it to. It is important to ensure that your pram is in a color or pattern that isn't prone to fading so that you don't appear like you've lost fashion.

The best prams are made of high-quality materials and are built to last, so look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels and a well-designed suspension system. The best prams are lightweight and fold easily, so you can store them in your garage or boot.

All the prams in this list allow babies to lie down flat. This is important for infants as it helps them develop their hips and spine, and boosts oxygen levels. Some are made to grow with your child, with some of them having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be moved off and back on the frame for when your child is no longer using it.

If you are purchasing a pram for the very first time it is recommended to consider a system that includes both an infant carrycot and car seats could be a good idea. We love the Graco Near2Me system which our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It has an innovative feature that lets you raise and lower your baby with the touch of one button. This allows you to maintain eye contact with them and keep them close.

The Bugaboo Fox 3 is another option that our test-driver Jess Bird tried with her two kids Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pram that can be converted from a single to a double pushchair cheap with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxurious fabrics, an expandable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not cheap, but you can use it for more than one child if needed and, like our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth thanks to the included carrycot.

Style

Newborns should lie flat as much as they can to help develop and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs. Therefore, it is essential that all prams permit this. Some models allow a completely flat position by using the carrycot which is fully reclinable, while others feature a seat that reclines to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me works great for this, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tested it on her 10-month-old child. She loved that she could raise or lower her infant by pressing an button, keeping him in sight while maintaining closeness and eye contact.

This frame is perfect for nipping around town, and the puncture-proof tires allow you to take it off road or over rough terrain. It's a great choice for those who plan to have a second child in the near future because it can easily be converted from a single pushchair into a twin or double.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish premium option that looks and feels luxurious. It is suitable for newborns since it includes a carrycot which can be rolled flat and is compatible with a car-seat if purchased separately. It can be folded by putting the carrycot in place - something that does not happen with all prams which is why 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 see on a high-end pram, but its sleek frame makes it easy to handle across a variety of terrains. This is a great choice for those who live in the city and must navigate narrow streets and crowded pathways frequently. This pram is not cheap but its versatility and quality could save you money in the long run by avoiding the purchase of an additional stroller for your toddler. It's available in an extensive variety of colors, as well, so you can choose one that suits your personal style.