How to Choose the Best Pushchair for Your Baby

How to Choose the Best Pushchair for Your Baby

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Pushchairs can be a large investment. According to an article on Money Advice Service, the cost of prams typically fall between £100 and £2,000. As such, it’s only right to want to buy one that fits all your needs as a parent and provides comfort and safety to your little one. That being said, here are a few points to consider when choosing the most ideal pushchair for your baby.

Consider your baby’s age

There are actually pushchairs that are best suited for your baby based on their age. Prams are good for newborns up to 6 months, as it carries your baby in a flat position to aid with lung and spinal development. Prams are also parent-facing, allowing you to keep an eye on your baby at all times. Fortunately, some models can be converted to pushchairs when the baby gets older — saving you from another expense. To know if your baby is ready for a pushchair, they should be able to sit up on their own already. Normally, this happens when they’re around 6 months old. Since this concerns your baby’s safety, be sure to factor that in.

Mind the wheels

Among the kinds of pushchair wheels, lockable swivel wheels are one of the best choices. Swivel wheels allow for greater manoeuvrability, letting you change direction easily to avoid obstacles. However, they may be a struggle to move on uneven ground. Thankfully, there are many pushchairs that have lockable swivel wheels, so they can stabilise when you need them to. This way, the pushchair is more manoeuvrable when you’re going over rough terrain.

Safety features

The first safety feature to look out for is the safety harness, as this is what will hold your baby in place. A 5-point harness is better than a 3-point harness since it has more straps to keep the baby secure, but don’t forget to check if it fits them comfortably. For brakes, having two-wheel parking brakes gives you an extra margin of safety. Another thing you may need is a tether strap, which may or may not come with the pushchair. For instance, the BuggyTug is a detachable wrist strap that can be used on any pushchair. Always have the strap around your wrist, so you can immediately stop the pushchair from rolling away when the brake isn’t on.

Future-proof design

A future-proof pushchair is more than just having a timeless design. As we’ve mentioned, pushchairs are quite the investment — so of course, you want to be able to use it for as long as possible. Modern pushchairs are designed to adapt to a family’s needs, whether it is converting from a pram to a pushchair or adding another seat. The convertible double pushchairs on iCandy demonstrate how tandem models can be easily switched to accommodate one child or two children. This ensures that the pushchair can stay with the family, and be used, as they grow in number.

Accessories

While they may not be your priority, accessories can make your pushchair even more convenient and pleasant to use. Some have baskets where you can store everything from baby supplies to groceries. If you want to be prepared in case of bad weather, a rain cover will do the job. Plus, with the ongoing pandemic, such pushchair shields can double as a COVID-19 shield too. On the other hand, if you want to keep your baby warm, the blankets on Cocoon Baby are designed to be attachable to a pushchair’s safety harness. All in all, choose accessories according to your lifestyle, but know that it never hurts to be prepared.