What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a stroller or a pushchair) is the most popular form of transport for infants and toddlers. A quality pram is a combination of safety, comfort and style that makes walking enjoyable for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for newborns and 3-year-old children. The adjustable handle can be turned around to allow you to turn the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

Your baby should be comfortable when you're out with them. There are prams that ensure your baby doesn't feel any discomfort.

All the prams listed in this guide let your baby lay flat. This is crucial for newborns since it improves oxygenation and helps support their spine and hips. They also have a seat that can be converted to more upright positions when your baby is old enough to sit up.

For a really high-end experience it's the Venicci egg2 provides a warm feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seating that doesn't recline into a lie-flat position but does have an upholstered liner and mattress. It's also lighter than many prams, with a weight of less than 8kg. However, it still is sturdy and has grained leather details and air-filled tyres which are puncture-proof.

The Minu V2 is a great choice to consider if you're looking to buy something with a similar design but at a lower price. The one-hand steer, swish model isn't quite as light as other prams but it does have a large storage basket. It also comes with an extendable hood that offers UPF 50+ protection, which keeps your baby protected and shaded.

If you're a new parent we recommend a travel system bundle that includes a pram and car seat that attach to the same frame. This makes it easier to transfer your child from the car to the pram without waking them and is ideal for parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that is easily converted from a 'pramette,' or lie-flat 'pramette, into a stroller that is toddler-friendly compatible with the Graco iSize car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with five-point safety harnesses that will keep your baby safe. It should also have no gaps in which their heads or legs could get stuck. The straps must be cushioned and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on your harness to make sure they're not damaged and show signs of wear. Many children are admitted to hospitals each year because of injuries caused by strollers or prams. The most common cause of these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams can tip over when you strap bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling or squirming and falls into or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.

A common cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If a baby is not securely secured in, they could fall out of the stroller and sustain head or neck injuries. This is why it is important to ensure that the harness buckle is always clicked into place.

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

Never leave a sleeping baby in a pram without being within reach. Babies tend to wiggle while asleep and this can cause them to roll off the pram or stroller and cause strangulation or suffocation. A pram or a stroller should not be used as a substitute for the crib. It is best to use it for short periods of time during the day.

It is necessary to disassemble the majority of prams to fit them in the trunk of your car. This procedure should be familiarised with before you purchase one. Also, check how it is easy to put the various sections back together and click to put them back together.

Durability

A pram must be durable enough to endure many years of wear and wear and tear. You want to make sure that your baby's pram is able to handle slippery walks, as well as multiple car trips. It is important to ensure that your stroller is in a colour or print that will not date easily to avoid looking as if you've slipped out of fashion.

The most effective prams are constructed with high-quality materials. They are designed to last. So, look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an efficient suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily, so you can put them in your garage or even the boot.

All prams on this list allow babies to lay on their backs. This is important for babies, because it allows them to develop their spine and hips and boosts oxygen levels. Many are designed to adapt to your child's needs and some having a carrycot or a fully reclined seat that can be moved on and off the frame at a time when your little one outgrows it.

If you're looking to purchase a brand new pram for the first time, you might be interested in a travel strollers set which is a bundle that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our parent tester Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me System that she used with her 10-month-old son. It has a nifty feature that can raise or lower your child at the push of a button so 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 kids Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxury pram that can be converted from a single to a double pushchair 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 in the event of need and, as with our winner the iCandy Orange 3, can be used from birth using the carrycot included.

Style

Newborns need to lay flat as often as possible to aid development and improve oxygen saturation in their lungs, which is why it's important that all prams support this. Some models create a completely flat position with a fully-reclinable carrycots, while others have a seat that reclines to an upright position.

The Graco Near2Me is a great device for this as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it on her 10-month-old daughter. She was thrilled to be able to raise or lower her child by pressing an button, keeping him in view, while still maintaining eye contact and proximity.

This frame is perfect for city trips and the puncture-proof wheels allow you to take it off the road or on rough terrain. It's also a smart choice if you're planning on having another child in the near future since it is able to convert from a single pushchair to a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels luxurious. It's ideal for infants as it comes with a lie-flat baby carrycot and is compatible with car seats in the event that you purchase it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot in place and it's something that not all prams can do which is why it's an easy and time-saving feature.

The pram's luxurious fabric large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are things you'd expect on a high-end model however, the sleek frame makes it simple for you to maneuver on different terrains. This is a great option if you live in the city and must navigate narrow streets or congested walkways regularly. This pram is not cheap but its versatility and quality could save you money over time by avoiding the purchase of an additional stroller for your toddler. You can choose from a range of colors to match your style.