What Makes Good Prams?

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

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for babies to 3 years old. The Reversible handle lets you flip the seat to face your child or the world.

Comfort

If you're out and about with a baby, you want to ensure they're secure. The good news is that there are prams specifically designed to ensure that your baby doesn't feel a thing.

The prams we've picked in this buying guide all allow your baby to lie flat, which is crucial for infants as lying flat improves oxygen saturation and helps support their growing hips and spine. The seats can be adjusted to an upright position once your child is capable of sitting up.

Venicci egg2 is a top-of-the-line foldable pram with a cocoon feeling for your baby. It is smooth and has curved lines and a bucket-shaped seat that doesn't recline to a flat position, but it does have padding on the mattress and a liner. It's also a little lighter than other prams available at less than 8kg but has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather details, plus air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and can be used in more rural environments.

The Minu V2 is a great option when you're looking for a model with a similar design but at a lower price. The stylish one-hand steer model isn't as light as the other prams we tried however it comes with a large storage basket, as well as an extended hood with UPF50+ protection, which will keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you're a first-time parent, we'd recommend considering a travel system bundle which includes a pram and car seat that can be attached to the same frame. This makes it much easier for parents to transfer their baby from their car to the pram without having to awake them. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel pram system is a stylish and practical pram that is able to be 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 come with a five-point safety harness that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also have no gaps between their head and legs that could get stuck. The straps must be cushioned and easily adjustable as your child grows. Examine the buckles on the harness to ensure they are not cracked and have signs of wear. A lot of children are hospitalized every year due to injuries from strollers or prams. Tipping over is the most common cause of these injuries. Even the sturdiest prams can tip over if you hook 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 done up.

Another reason for injury is falling from the stroller or pram. If a baby is not properly secured the pram, they could fall out of the stroller and suffer head or neck injuries. It is therefore important to ensure that the buckle on the harness is clicked into the proper position.

Some good prams also have an adjustable canopy that can protect your baby from sun in both directions. This is a great feature as you can avoid having to wake your child up when you are changing their position in the pram, or when you go to and from the shops. Other useful features include a snack tray and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a shopping basket underneath the seat, and a handlebar that locks in place when you're not using it.

It is not advisable to let a child sleep 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 pram or stroller and could result in strangulation or suffocation. A pram or a stroller is not an alternative to the cot. It is best to use it for short periods of time during the daytime.

Most prams require you to disassemble them in order to fit them into the car's boot so it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the process before you buy one. Find out how easy it will be to put the sections back together.

Durability

A pram needs to be able to endure a long time of wear. You need to ensure that your baby's pram is able to handle slippery walks as well as a variety of car trips. You should ensure that your stroller is in the right color or design that won't fade easily to avoid looking as if you've slipped out of fashion.

The best prams are made of high-quality materials and are built to last. So, look for durable fabrics, sturdy wheels, and an effective suspension system. The best prams will also feature a compact pushchair fold so they can be easily stored in your garage or in the boot when not when not in use.

All the prams on this list allow a baby to lay flat, which is crucial for infants since it increases oxygen saturation levels and aids in the development of their hips and spine. Many of these prams are designed to grow along with your child's. Some include a carrycot, or a fully-reclined chair that can be easily removed and put back on as your child grows.

If you're looking to purchase a brand new pram for the first time, you might be interested in a travel system that is a complete package that includes a lie-flat carrycot and car seat. Our test-driver for parents Jaya was a fan of the Graco Near2Me System that she used with her 10-month-old son. It has an innovative feature that lets you raise and lower your child at the touch of one button. This lets you keep eye contact with them and keep them close.

Another option is the Bugaboo Fox 3 which our tester Jess Bird used with her two babies, Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a stroller that can be converted from a single pushchair newborn double, with 30 different configurations. It also comes with sun canopy that can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not inexpensive however, you can use it with multiple children, if needed. Like our top pick model, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot can be used right from birth.

Style

Newborns should lie flat as much as possible to aid development and increase the oxygen level in their lungs, so it's essential that all prams permit this. Some models permit an all-flat position by using a carrycot that is fully reclinable, while others have a seat which reclines to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me has the latter and it's brilliant in this regard, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her 10-month-old son. She was thrilled that she could raise and lower her child with the press of a button, keeping him in the view of others and still maintain eye contact and a closeness.

It's a great pram for those that want to travel around town with ease as the frame is a great size for maneuvering, and the puncture-proof tyres allow you to remove it from the road and into rough terrain. It's also a good option if you're thinking of having another child in the near future because it easily converts from a single pushchair to a twin or double pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a high-end, stylish option. It's suitable for babies since it includes a carrycot which can be rolled flat and is compatible with car seats when purchased separately. You can even fold it by putting the carrycot in place and it's something that not all prams can do and is an efficient and easy feature.

The pram's luxurious fabric large basket, spacious interior, and puncture-proof tires are features you would expect to see on a high-end model However, the sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver over different terrains. It's also a great choice when you reside in a city and need to negotiate narrow streets or crowded sidewalks frequently. Although it's not inexpensive however, the durability and quality of this pram mean that it can save you money in the long run by not having to invest in a separate toddler pushchair. You can pick from a variety of colors that will fit your style.