What Makes Good Prams?

A pram, also known as a stroller, pushchair or a Sling, is the most popular mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram is a blend of comfort, safety 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 in one pushchair-year-old kids. Its reversible handle allows you to rotate the seat so your child can look at either you or the world around them.

Comfort

You want your child to be comfortable when you're out with them. There are prams to ensure your baby doesn't feel anything.

All the prams in this guide allow your baby lay flat. This is crucial for newborns since it improves oxygenation and strengthens their spine and hips. They also have a seat that can be converted to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit up.

For a really high-end experience, the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon feel for your newborn with sleek, curvaceous lines and a bucket-shape seats that doesn't recline into a lie-flat position, but has padding on the liner and mattress. It's also lighter than most prams, weighing under 8kg but still has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather detailing, plus air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and able to be used in more rural environments.

The Minu V2 is a great choice when you're looking for a model with a similar look but at a lower price. The stylish, one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as some of the other prams we tested however it comes with a large storage basket, as well as an the ability to extend the hood, which comes with UPF 50+ protection to keep your baby protected and shaded.

If you're the first parent of your child, we'd recommend considering a travel system bundle that includes a pram and a car seat that can be attached to the same frame. This allows parents to transfer their child from the car to the pram without having to awake them. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and practical pram that is able to be easily converted from a 'pramette,' or lie-flat 'pramette, to a stroller for toddlers compatible with the Graco ISize car seats.

Safety

A pram should have a five-point safety harness to keep your baby safe and secure. It should not have any gaps to entrap their heads or legs. The straps should be cushioned and easy to adjust as they expand. Examine the buckles on your harness to ensure that they are not damaged and show signs of wear. Many children are hospitalised each year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. The most common reason for these injuries is the result of a stroller tipping over. Even the most sturdy prams could tip over 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 has been tightened.

Another reason for injury is falling from the pram or stroller. If a baby is not securely secured in the pram, they may fall out of the stroller and sustain 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 reversible canopy that will shield your baby from sun in any direction. This is a great feature since you will not be having to wake your child awake when you change their position in the pram uk or when you are going in and out of shops. There are other features that can be useful, for example snacks for your toddler or child and drink holders. There's also an extra shopping basket under the seat.

You should never leave a child sleeping in their stroller unless they are within sight of them at all times. Babies tend to wiggle while asleep and this can cause them to roll off the stroller or pram and could result in strangulation or suffocation. A pram or stroller is not an alternative to a cot and should be used only for brief periods during the daytime.

Most prams require you to dismantle them to fit them into the car's boot therefore it's a good idea to familiarise yourself with this process 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 want to make sure that your pram can handle the mud of a walk and also multiple car trips. It is important to ensure that your pram is in the right color or design that won't fade easily so you don't look as if you've slipped out of style.

The best prams are made of high-quality materials and are built to last, so look for robust fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an efficient suspension system. The top prams feature a compact fold so you can store them easily in your garage or boot when not when not in use.

All prams on this list allow the baby to lie down flat. This is essential for babies, because it allows them to develop their hips and spine and boosts oxygen levels. Some are made to grow with your child with some having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be clicked on and off the frame for when your little one outgrows it.

If you're buying a new pram for the first time, you might also be looking for a travel system that is a complete package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our test-driver for parents Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me System she used with her 10-month old son. It comes with a clever feature that allows you to raise and lower your child at the push of a button. This way you can keep eye contact and keep them close, which she described as being important to her 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 pushchair that can be converted from a single pushchair into double, with 30 different configurations. It also has a sun canopy that can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not expensive but you can use it with multiple children if necessary. Similar to our winner, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot included can be used from the moment of birth.

Style

All prams should allow newborns to lie as flat as possible. This will help with their development and improve oxygen levels in the lungs. Some models allow for a completely flat position by using a carrycot that is fully reclinable, while others feature a seat that can recline to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me works great for this as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old daughter. She loved that she could raise or lower her baby at the touch of a button to keep him in sight, while still maintaining closeness and eye contact.

It's a great stroller for those who want to nip around town without hassle since the frame is a good size for manoeuvring, while the puncture-proof tyres allow you to move it off the road and on to rough terrain. It's also a great option if you're thinking of having a second child in the future because it easily converts from a single pushchair to a double stroller or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a stylish, high-end option. It's ideal for babies since it includes a carrycot which can be folded flat and is compatible with car seats when purchased separately. It can be folded by putting the carrycot in place which is something not all prams can do and is a time-saving and hassle-free feature.

The pram's luxurious fabrics, spacious basket, and puncture-proof tires are all features you'd expect to find on a high-end model, but the sleek frame makes it simple to maneuver around various terrains. It's also a great option for those who live in a large city and need to negotiate narrow streets or busy sidewalks frequently. Although it's not inexpensive however, the durability and quality of this model mean that it can save you money in the long run by eliminating the need to buy a separate toddler pushchair. You can pick from a range of colors to suit your style.