What Makes Good Prams?

A pram (also known as a stroller or pushchair) is the main form of transportation for babies and toddlers. A quality pram is a blend of safety, comfort and style that makes walking enjoyable for all the family members.

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

Comfort

You want your baby to feel comfortable 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 picked in this buying guide all allow your baby to lay flat, which is essential for newborn babies as lying flat improves oxygen levels and assists in the development of their spine and hips. They also have seats that can be changed to an upright position once your baby is old enough to sit.

For a 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 seat that doesn't recline to a lie-flat position but does have padding on the mattress and liner. It's also a little lighter than most prams available at less than 8kg, but it has an extremely sturdy chassis and grained leather detailing, plus air-filled tyres that are puncture-proof and able to handle more rugged terrains.

If you want something more affordable, but still with the same style Minu V2 (minus carrycot) is a good option. The stylish one-hand steer model isn't as lightweight as the other prams we tested but it does have a large storage basket, as well as an extendable hood with UPF 50+ protection to keep your baby safe and shaded.

If you are a first-time parent we suggest you consider a travel system that includes a car seat as well as a pram that are attached to the same frame. This makes it much easier for parents to move their child from the car to the pram without having to get them up. The Bugaboo Dragonfly travel system is a stylish and functional pram that can be converted easily from a 'pramette,' or lie-flat 'pramette,' into a toddler-friendly stroller compatible with the Graco iSize car seat.

Safety

The pram should be fitted with a five-point safety harness that will ensure your baby's safety. It should also not have any gaps in which their heads or legs can get trapped. The straps should be cushioned and easy to adjust as they grow. It is also important to check the harness buckles to make sure that they are not cracked or showing signs of wear and tear. Many children are admitted to hospitals every year due to injuries caused by strollers or prams. Tipping over is the most common reason for these injuries. Even the strongest prams can tip over when you strap your bags onto the handles or if a child is wriggling and gets out or in the seat before the lity materials and are built to last, so you should look for robust fabrics, sturdy wheels and a well-designed suspension system. The best prams are compact and fold easily so that you can put them in your garage or the boot of your car.

All prams on this list allow your baby to lay on their backs. This is essential for babies, because it allows them to develop their hips and spine, and improves oxygenation levels. Some are made to grow with your child, with some of them having a carrycot or fully-reclined seat that can be moved on and off the frame when your little one outgrows it.

If you are purchasing an infant stroller for the first time you should consider a travel system that includes both the carrycot as well as a car seat could be a good idea. We are awestruck by the Graco Near2Me system that our parent tester Jaya used with her son of 10 months. It comes with a clever feature that allows you to raise and lower your baby at the touch of a button, so you can keep your eyes on them and keep them close, which she described as being important to her since he was at an exploratory stage.

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 pram that can be converted from a single pushchair into double in 30 different configurations. It also has a sun canopy that can be extended and puncture-proof tires. It's not expensive but it can be used for multiple children, if needed. Similar to our winner, the iCandy Orange 3 with its carrycot is a great option to use as early as.

Style

All prams should allow newborns to lay as flat as possible. This will aid in their development and boost oxygen saturation in the lung. Some models permit a completely flat position by using the carrycot which is fully reclined, whereas others have a seat which reclines to a horizontal position.

The Graco Near2Me has the latter and it's brilliant at what it does as our parent tester Jaya found when she tested it with her son of 10 months. She loved the ability to raise or lower her infant with a push of the button to keep him in sight, while still maintaining closeness and eye contact.

The frame is ideal for city trips, and the puncture-proof tires permit you to drive it off road or over rough terrain. It's a great choice when you are planning to have a child in the future, as it can easily be transformed from a single pushchair into a double or twin.

The Bugaboo Dragonfly looks and feels like a premium, stylish option. It's ideal for babies as it includes a carrycot that can be folded flat and is compatible with car seats if purchased separately. It can be folded using the carrycot as a stand and it's something that isn't the case with all prams, so it's a time-saving and hassle-free feature.

Its luxurious fabrics, large shopping basket, and puncture-proof tyres are the kinds of things you'd expect on a pram of the highest quality, but its sleek frame makes it easy to maneuver across a variety of terrains. This is a great option for those who live in the city and have to navigate narrow streets or congested paths regularly. While it's not cheap but the quality and versatility of this stroller make it possible to save you money in the end by avoiding the need to purchase a separate toddler pushchair. It's available in a wide range of colors, and you can pick one that fits your personal style.