What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also called a pushchair or stroller) is the primary mode of transport for infants and toddlers. A good pram combines safety, comfort and style that makes walking fun for the entire family.

The R for Rabbit Poppins Stylish Baby Stroller is a fantastic stroller for children from newborns to three years old. Its reversible handle allows you to tilt the seat so your child can look at you or the world around them.

Comfort

You want your baby to be at ease when you're out with them. There are prams that will ensure your baby doesn't feel any discomfort.

The prams we've selected in this buying guide let your baby lie flat, which is crucial for babies who are just beginning to crawl. Lying flat improves oxygen saturation and assists in the development of their spine and hips. They also come with a seat which can be transformed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.

Venicci egg2 is a high-end pram with a cocoon feel for your baby. It has smooth, curvaceous lines as well as a bucket-shaped seating, that doesn't recline to flat, but it does have a padded mattress and liner. It's also lighter than most prams available at under 8kg but still has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather detailing as well as tyres with air-filled tires that are puncture-proof, and can take on more rural settings.

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 as the other prams we've tested but it has an impressively large storage basket and extended hood with UPF50+ protection that'll keep your baby shaded and protected.

If you are a first-time parent, we recommend that you look into the travel system that includes a car seat and pram that can be attached to the same frame. This makes it easier to get your baby out of the car into the pram without waking them and is ideal for parents on the go. The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a great example of a stylish and useful pram for travel that can be converted easily from a'pramette' that lies flat into a toddler-friendly pushchair that is compatible with the Graco I-Size car seat.

Safety

A pram should be equipped with a five point safety harness to keep your baby safe and free of any gaps to trap their legs or heads. The straps must be padded, and easily adjustable as your child grows. Check the buckles on the harness to ensure that they are not cracked and show signs of wear. Many children are hospitalised each year due to pram or stroller-related injuries. The primary cause of these injuries is tipping over. Even the strongest prams can tip over if you hook bags to the handles or if the child is wriggling and gets into or out of the seat before the harness is tightened.

A frequent cause of injury is falling off a pram or stroller. If a baby's harness is not fastened properly it can cause them to fall out of the folding stroller and suffer neck or head injuries. Therefore, it is important to always ensure that the buckle on the harness is clicked into place.

Some good prams also have a reversible canopy that will shield your baby from the sun in either direction. This feature is useful because you won't have to wake your baby every time you alter their position in the stroller or when you go into stores and out. Other useful features include a snack tray and drink holders for your infant or toddler, a basket for shopping under the seat and a handlebar that locks into position when you're not using it.

Never leave a sleeping baby in a pram if you are not within sight. Babies are prone to wriggling while sleeping and could cause them to fall out of the pram bag or stroller. This could result in suffocation and strangulation. A pram or stroller is not a substitute for a cot and should only be used for brief periods during the day.

The majority of prams require you take them apart in order to fit them into the car's boot so it is an excellent idea to familiarize yourself with this procedure before purchasing one. Also check how it is easy to put the different sections back together and then click them in place.

Durability

A pram must be able endure several years of wear. You want to make sure that your pram can handle slippery walks, as well as multiple car trips. It is also important for your pram to come in a print or colour that isn't prone to fading quickly so that you don't end up looking like you've fallen out of fashion.

The best prams are constructed from high-quality materials and built to last. You should look for durable fabrics with sturdy tires, as well as an effective suspension system. The top prams have a compact fold so they are easy to store in your garage or boot when not being used.

All prams on this list allow infants to lie flat, which is crucial for infants since it increases oxygen saturation levels and aids in the development of their spine and hips. A lot of them are designed to adapt to your child's needs and some having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be moved off and on the frame when your child outgrows it.

If you are purchasing an infant stroller for the first time you should consider a travel system that includes both an infant carrycot and a car seat could be worth a look. We love the Graco Near2Me system that our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It comes with a clever feature that can raise or lower your child at the push of a button, so you can maintain eye contact and keep them close, which she claimed was important for her son as the baby was still at an exploratory stage.

The Bugaboo Fox 3 is another option that our tester Jess Bird tried with her two babies Effie and Boden (pictured above). It's a luxurious pushchair that converts from a single pushchair to double pushchair, with 30 possible configurations and features luxe fabrics, an extendable sun canopy and puncture-proof tyres. It's not inexpensive however, it can be used for multiple children, if needed. Like our top pick iCandy Orange 3, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot is a great option to use as early as.

Style

Newborns need to lie flat as much as they can to help develop and increase the oxygen level in their lungs, so it is essential that all prams support this. Some models provide a flat position using a fully reclineable carrycots, while others have a seat that reclines to a flat position.

The Graco Near2Me features the latter and it's brilliant at what it does, as our parent tester Jaya discovered when she tried it with her son of 10 months. She loved that she could raise or lower her infant at the touch of an button, keeping him in the same position, while still maintaining the eye contact and closeness.

The frame is ideal for nipping around town, and the puncture-proof tires permit you to take it off the road or on rough terrain. It's also a smart option if you're thinking of having another child in future because it easily converts from a single pram set to a double pram or twin pushchair.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly is a stylish, high-end option that looks and feels impressive. It's ideal for babies as it comes with a carrycot that can be folded flat and is compatible with a car-seat when purchased separately. You can fold it by putting the carrycot in place - something that does not happen with all prams, so it's an efficient and easy feature.

The pram's luxurious fabrics, spacious basket, and puncture-proof tires are all features you'd expect on a premium model however, the sleek frame makes it simple to maneuver over various terrains. This is a great choice if you live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets and crowded pathways regularly. Although it's not inexpensive however, the durability and quality of this stroller will save you money in the long run by avoiding the need to purchase an additional pushchair for toddlers. It's available in a wide selection of colors and you can choose one that suits your personal style.