What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also known as a stroller or pushchair) is the most popular form of transport for infants and toddlers. A great pram is a combination of comfort, safety and design that makes walking fun for all family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Joy Stylish Baby Stroller is a wonderful pram for newborns to 3-year-old children. Its reversible handle allows you to rotate the seat so your child can look at either you or the world around them.

Comfort

When you're out and around with your baby, you'll want to be sure they're comfortable. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure your child does not feel anything.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide all allow your baby to lie flat, which is essential for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and supports their developing hips and spine. The seats can also be adjusted to a more upright position once your baby is able to sit up.

For a truly luxurious experience it's the Venicci egg2 offers a cozy feeling of a cocoon for your baby with sleek, curvaceous lines and a bucket-shape seats that doesn't recline into a lie-flat position, but has a padded liner and mattress. It's also a little lighter than other prams, weighing less than 8kg but has a sturdy chassis and grained leather details and air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and able to be used in more rural environments.

The Minu V2 is a great option when you're looking for a model with a similar look but at a price that is lower. The stylish one-hand steer model isn't as light than some of the other prams we tested but it has an impressively large storage basket and extended hood with UPF50+ protection that'll keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you are a first-time parent we suggest that you look into the travel system that includes a car seat as well as a pram that attaches to the same frame. This makes it much easier for parents to move 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 easily converted from a 'pramette, or a lie-flat 'pramette' into a toddler-friendly stroller compatible with the Graco ISize car seats.

Safety

A pram must have a five-point safety harness to keep your baby safe and free of any gaps to trap their legs or head. The straps should be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. You should also check the harness buckles to ensure they are not cracked or showing signs of wear and tear. Each year, many children are hospitalised because of injuries caused by prams or strollers. Tipping over is the most common reason for these injuries. Even the most sturdy prams can topple when you strap bags to the handles or if a child is wriggling or squirming and falls out or in the seat before the harness has been tightened.

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

Some good prams also have a canopy that can be reversible to protect your baby from sun in either 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 or while you go into and out of shops. Other handy features include a snack tray and drink holders for your baby or toddler, a basket for shopping under the seat, and the handlebar locks into position when you are not using it.

You should never leave a sleeping child in their pram unless you are within sight of them at all times. Babies are prone to wiggle during sleep and this can cause them to roll out of the stroller or pram. This can lead to strangulation and suffocation. A stroller or pram should not be used as an alternative to the cot. It should only be used for short periods during the daytime.

It is necessary to disassemble most prams in order to put them in the boot of your vehicle. This process is something you should know before you purchase a pram. Find out how easy it will be to put the pieces back together.

Durability

A pram must be able endure several years of wear. This includes surviving the mud-filled walks and many car journeys, so you want to be sure your choice is able to do the job you need it to. It is also important for your stroller to have a print or colour that won't date quickly so you don't end up looking like you've gone out of style.

The most reliable prams are made of high-quality materials, and designed to last. Look for durable fabrics with sturdy tires, as well as an efficient suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily, allowing you to store them in your garage or the boot of your car.

All the prams on this list allow babies to lay flat, which is essential for newborns as it improves oxygen saturation levels and aids in the development of their spine and hips. Many are designed to grow with your child with some having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be moved off and on the frame for when your child is no longer using it.

If you're buying a new pram for the first time, you might be looking for a travel system that is a complete bundle that includes a lying-flat carrycot and car seat. Our tester for parents Jaya loved the Graco Near2Me system that she used with her 10-month old son. It comes with a handy feature that raises and lowers your child at the push of a button, so you can keep your eyes on them and keep them close, which she said was really important to her since the baby was still at an exploratory stage.

Another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two kids, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pram that converts from a single to double pushchair, with 30 different configurations, and comes with luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy, and puncture-proof tyres. It's not inexpensive however, you can use it with more than one child if you need to. And like our winner model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot is a great option to use from the moment of birth.

Style

Newborns need to lie flat as much as possible to aid development and improve the oxygen saturation of their lungs. Therefore, it is essential that all prams support this. Some models allow a completely flat surface with a fully-reclinable carrycots, while others have seats that recline to a flat position.

The Graco Near2Me is brilliant for both, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tested it on her child who was 10 months old. She loved the ability to raise or lower her baby at the touch of a button to keep him in view while maintaining closeness and eye contact.

This frame is perfect to take a stroll around town, and the puncture-proof tires allow you to take it off 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 pram into a double or twin pushchairs pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It's suitable for babies since it includes a carrycot that can be folded flat and is compatible with a car seat when purchased separately. You can even fold it using the carrycot as a stand which is something does not happen with all prams, so it's a time-saving and hassle-free feature.

The pram's luxurious fabrics, spacious basket, and puncture-proof tires are features you'd expect on a premium model However, the sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver over diverse terrains. It's also a great choice if you reside in a city and need to negotiate narrow streets or busy sidewalks frequently. The pram isn't cheap, but its versatility and high-end quality can save you money over time by avoiding the purchase of an additional stroller for your toddler. You can choose from a wide range of colors to match your personal style.