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What is a Pram?
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
"Pram" is short for "perambulator," which is essentially a stroller for a baby. People in the UK may refer to the stroller as either a pram or a baby carriage. These first became popular during the Victorian Era, and the typical carriage was black with high wheels, with a bed for the baby to lie in and a half cover that could be used to protect the baby from overexposure to the sun.
People can still find examples of the classic pram in modern strollers. They may vary in color and fabric, and many also allow the user to adjust the bed so the child can either be lying down or seated. In fact, most prefer this adjustable ability since this extends the time the stroller is useful.
Often, a pram built on the old Victorian model will be quite expensive, and they may be used as much for status as for transporting a baby. A typical retro model can cost several hundred US Dollars, whereas the average baby stroller costs much less.
A newer type of baby carriage is the jogging stroller. This usually has high back wheels, and has one instead of two wheels in the front. It can usually carry a child up to 60 pounds (27.21 kg) in weight and allows the person pushing it to either jog or walk quickly. Double strollers that can be used for jogging while pushing two children, either twins or children of different ages, are also available.
Because the weight is over the back wheels of the jogging stroller, it tends to be easier to maneuver and turn than the standard, four-wheeled version. A heavier child can make the pram a little harder to push and to turn, however. This is particularly the case when the weight is not evenly balanced, as with two different sized children in a double stroller.
Some jogging strollers are excellent for rough terrain, allowing new moms or dads to quickly get back into shape after a pregnancy, or keep their commitment to fitness alive. Some prefer a more traditional carriage and slower walking with a child, as this gives the user more opportunity for conversation, and also allows him or her to observe the child’s moods more closely.
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent WiseGEEK contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
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![Antique prams are popular collector's items.]()
By: Margo HarrisonAntique prams are popular collector's items. -
![Modern baby carriage, or pram.]()
By: ollyModern baby carriage, or pram. -
![Double strollers can be used for pushing twins.]()
By: Svetlana FedoseevaDouble strollers can be used for pushing twins. -
![Jogging strollers are made for running or fast walking.]()
By: julief514Jogging strollers are made for running or fast walking.
Discussion Comments
I've always loved the vintage look of those old Victorian prams, especially those that are still in usable condition. Today's strollers aren't nearly as quaint, but I suppose they're a lot more practical with all that extra space for the baby's belongings, diapers, wipes etc. Have any of you actually purchased an old style pram for a newborn? How did you like it compared to jogging strollers?
My friend bought a beautiful English style carriage pram from an online auction site. Perhaps she was swayed by it being named after a British country estate!
For a newborn, this pram seemed way over the top. Her tiny baby seemed lost in all that space! Once he got a bit bigger it was fine though, and he always looked so comfortable in it.
The thing that surprised me was the weight. Her model was 37kg! Definitely not the kind of thing you can hop on a bus or train with!
True prams seem very much like a bassinet on wheels to me. I have also found that if you want to get the beautiful curves of a traditional pram with oversized wheels and lovely detailing you are going to have to pay through the nose for it.
Most prams are also only designed for infants, which means you are going to have to buy a stroller later on if you don't get a convertible version.
For myself, when I was browsing at true prams I found the prices pretty staggering, with some in the thousands of dollars. I think unless you are wealthy or plan to have many children, a real pram just isn't worth the price.
I love the look of the old-fashioned baby prams, but I never realized they were so expensive. If course, I guess now they are called retro fashion and today that is very popular and expensive.
If you are looking for a pram that does it all, picking up a travel system may work for you. These strollers are fantastic as they combine a car seat with the pram, giving you a great piece of baby equipment that can do double duty.
One of the problems with a travel system though is their bulk. These kinds of strollers tend to be very heavy and difficult to maneuver, so if you don't think you'll be using the car seat much, it is probably a better idea to just get a regular stroller.
On average these travel systems run between $150-$500.
This is an interesting article. I have heard of a carriage pram, but I have never heard of a stroller pram. Here in the US I have only heard them referred to as strollers.
I have heard of jogging strollers, though. We live in a college town where there are a lot of young moms and jogging strollers are very popular. Many use them daily as they work to get back in shape.
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