What Makes Good Prams?

A pram, also referred to as a stroller, pushchair or sling, is the primary form of transport for babies and toddlers. A good pram combines comfort, safety and design that makes walking enjoyable for all the family members.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller makes a great stroller for infants to three years old. The reversible handle lets you turn the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

You want your child to be at ease when you're out with them. The good news is that there are prams made to ensure that your baby isn't apprehensive.

The prams we've chosen in this buying guide all let your baby lie flat, which is crucial for infants as lying flat increases oxygen saturation and helps support their growing spine and hips. The seats can be adjusted to an upright position once your baby is able to sit up.

For a luxurious experience it's the Venicci egg2 provides a warm cocoon-like feel for your baby with sleek, curved lines and a bucket-shape seats that does not recline to a lying-flat position, but has padding on the liner and mattress. It's also lighter than many prams, with a weight of less than 8kg. However, it has a sturdy chassis with finely textured leather and tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof.

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

If you're a new parent we suggest you look into a travel system bundle that includes a pram and car seat that can be attached to the same frame. This will make it much easier to transfer your child from the car into the pram without waking them and is ideal for busy parents who are always on the move. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a fashionable and practical travel system pram pushchair that converts easily from a'pramette' that lies flat to a pushchair for toddlers that is compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will keep your baby safe. It must also be free of gaps where their legs or heads are likely to get caught. The straps should be padded and easy to adjust as they expand. Also, you should check the harness buckles to make sure that they aren't cracked or showing signs of wear and tear. Every year, a lot of children are hospitalised because of injuries caused by prams and strollers. The most common reason for these injuries is tipping over. Even the most robust prams could tip over if you attach bags on the handles, or if a child who is wriggling is able to get into or out of the seat without the harness being secured.

A common cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If the harness of a baby isn't secured correctly it can cause them to fall out of the stroller and sustain head or neck injuries. This is why it is vital to ensure that the harness buckle is always clicked into place.

Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from sun in any direction. This is a handy feature since you will not be having to wake your baby awake while you change their position in the pram with car seat or when you go in and out of shops. There are also other features that are useful, like snacks for your toddler or child and drink holders. There's also a basket for shopping underneath the seat.

Don't leave a baby sleeping in a pram without having them in sight. Babies are susceptible to wriggling while sleeping, which could cause them to roll out of the pram or stroller. This can lead to suffocation and strangulation. A stroller or pram should not be used as an alternative to the cot. It is best to use it for short periods during the day.

It is necessary to disassemble most prams in order to put them into the boot of your vehicle. This procedure must be mastered before you purchase one. Find out how easy it will be to put the sections back together.

Durability

A pram should be able to endure a long time of wear. This includes the need to endure muddy walks and getting through numerous car journeys, so you must ensure your choice is able to do the job you need it to. You want to make sure that your stroller is in the right color or design that isn't prone to fading so that you don't appear as if you've slipped out of style.

The best prams are constructed of top-quality materials and built to last. You should look for durable fabrics as well as sturdy tires and an effective suspension system. The best prams are lightweight and fold easily so that you can put them in your garage or boot.

All the prams on this list allow babies to lay flat, which is essential for infants since it increases oxygen saturation levels and supports the development of their hips and spine. Many of these prams are designed to grow with your child. Some come with a carrycot or a reclined seat that can be snapped on and off as your child grows.

If you are buying a pram for the very first time, a travel system that includes both a carrycot and a car seat may be of interest. We love the Graco Near2Me system which our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It comes with a handy feature that can raise or lower your child at the push of a button. This way you can keep eye contact and keep them close, which she said was really important for her son as 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 pram that can be transformed from a single running pushchair to double, with 30 different configurations. It also comes with the sun canopy which can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not cheap, but you can use it for multiple children if necessary. And like our winner iCandy Orange 3, the iCandy Orange 3 with its included carrycot, it can be used right from birth.

Style

Newborns need to lay flat as much as possible to aid development and improve the oxygen saturation of their lungs, so it is essential that all prams support this. Some models allow a completely flat position using a fully reclineable carrycots, while others have seats that recline to an unflat 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 the fact that she could raise and lower her little one with the touch of a button and keep him in view while maintaining eye contact and closeness.

This frame is perfect for nipping around town and the puncture-proof tires permit you to drive it off road or over rough terrain. It's also a good option if you're thinking of having another child in future since it can easily be converted from a single pushchair to a double or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels impressive. It's suitable for newborns because it comes with a lie-flat carrycot and is compatible with a car seat when you purchase it separately. It can be folded with the carrycot in place and it's something that not all prams can do, so it's an efficient and easy feature.

Its luxe fabrics, spacious shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kinds of features you'd expect to see on a premium pram and its sleek design makes it easy to maneuver on any terrain. It's also a great choice if you live in a city and need to negotiate narrow streets or busy sidewalks regularly. It's not cheap, but its versatility and high-end quality can save you money over time by avoiding the need for a separate stroller for toddlers. You can pick from a variety of colors that will fit your style.