As a new parent, you don’t know what you don’t know, and you will face many problems that you simply don’t know how to solve. One situation you’ll undoubtedly face is trying to choose the right pram for your child. Now, at a glance, this may seem like child’s play, but when you start factoring in all the components of what you need in a good pram, making the final call can be complicated, especially with such a large variety of prams on the market.
However, if you do your homework and know what to look for before, the process can be much easier. In this article, we’ll look at some key things to consider when buying your first pram and what the ideal pram looks like for us.
What Would be The Ideal Pram For a New Parent?
We all have our preferences, but sometimes, it’s helpful to see what other people are buying to measure the standards for what pram you should get. The ideal pram should be a seamless blend of comfort, safety, and convenience.
Comfortable for your little one to lay in and for you to push, safe with a 5-point harness, brakes and padding, and convenient for you to use with enough storage and easy-to-use features.
It should also be sturdy, with a lightweight frame and some decent shock-absorbing wheels in case we encounter rough terrain. The seat needs to be well-padded, able to recline, and spacious.
Having removable covers or cushions that can be washed would also be ideal. We’d prefer to have adjustable handlebars so we can adjust the height of the bars to make it more comfortable to push, and it must have a canopy to protect the baby from the sun or wind.
Practically, it should also have sufficient storage space and be foldable so we can transport it with ease. Having a pram that can convert into a car seat would be a bonus.
What to Think About When Purchasing Your First Pram
There are some general factors that you’ll want to think about before you make your choice, for example:
Age and scalability
Kids grow up fast, and if you don’t factor age into your pram purchase, you might find yourself purchasing a new pram in the first year to replace the other one because it’s become too small.
So, before you head out to the shops, consider age and scalability. By age, we’re referring to how old your baby is now. By scalability, we’re referring to purchasing a pram that’ll cater for your child as they grow to a certain age. Basically, you want to purchase a pram that’ll be suitable for a newborn, maybe with a bassinet function, and then be able to transform it into a sitting position for your baby as they grow.
Terrain
Terrain is always something you should factor in. As you saw above, we like to be prepared so choosing a pram that’s versatile would be the best choice for us. But, maybe you never go off-road and live in an urban area with lovely parks and well paved roads. In this case, you could go for a more suitable pram for that terrain. However, good suspension and decent tyres should always be on the checklist when you’re looking for a pram.
Weight and size
Remember our third point in our ideal pram: convenience? Weight and size play a big role in how convenient a pram would be for you and your baby. You don’t want a pram that you struggle to push because it’s too heavy. Likewise, you also don’t want one that your baby will grow out of in two months.
Look for a pram that’s light and appropriate for your size and for your baby.
Portability
Prams are designed to be a transportation device for your baby. But it would kind of defeat the purpose of having one if you could transport the pram, don’t you think? Thankfully, most prams these days come with a folding mechanism that allows you to fold it up to store it or pop it in your boot for when you travel.
Safety features
Safety features are essential in any pram. Product Safety Australia requires most prams to have a five-point harness system to ensure your baby is safe in the pram while you’re walking or running. This system is designed to go around your child’s waist and legs.
Comfort
Try taking your baby for a walk in a hard, uncomfortable pram and see how far you get before they require your attention. Comfort matters, especially when you’re wanting your newborn to sleep. For that reason, ensure that the pram you choose is well padded but breathable so it can help them regulate their body temperature. Also, check what other comfort features it has, like a canopy to keep the sun off your baby.
Storage
In our opinion, you can never have enough storage with newborns. When you’re out on a stroll, you’ll need a whole array of items, like nappies, wet wipes, your baby’s toys, and any other items you find necessary.
Consider what you’d need to take with you when you’re out and about, and look for a pram that can cater for that.
Final Thoughts
Thinking about these factors will give you the ability to compare and find a pram that suits you and your baby, which is the most important consideration. When you do start looking for prams, take your time and build up a few options and then compare them against one another. By the end, you should have the perfect pram.