buggies, prams & strollers

Your buggy, pram or stroller can be one of the most expensive items you will purchase for your baby.  Make sure you consider how and when you will be using your buggy before you buy one.

Things you might need to consider are:

• Will you be running or going 'off-road' with your buggy?
• Do you expect your baby to be able to sleep when out and about in your buggy?
• Does the buggy have enough room to carry basic necessities (such as your nappy bag)?
• Will you be taking the buggy on public transport?
• Will the buggy fit in the boot of your car?
• Will you be able to lift the weight of the buggy easily?

To see all of the buggies we have featured, have a look at our move archives.

Information from Consumer NZ

Baby Buggies

Links provided with the permission of Consumer NZ

Consumer NZ is an independent, non-profit organisation established in 1959 with the sole aim of getting New Zealand consumers a fairer deal.

Consumer NZ have published the following free resources to help you decide what buggy to buy:

• A checklist of what to consider before you buy
• Safety features to look for when buying a buggy

We strongly recommend printing a copy of these resources for you to reference when researching buggy options.

Information from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs

Prams and Strollers

Ministry of Consumer Affairs, June 2005

Babies and small children spend a lot of time in prams and strollers. Make sure you buy a safe product and use it safely.

Remember

• The safest child is a supervised child.

• A pram is for getting about with your baby. For a sleeping child a cot or bassinet is best.

Buying a pram or stroller

Babies and small children spend a lot of time in prams and strollers. Make sure you make the best choice.

Check that:

• the pram or stroller meets a standard – the most common is AS/NZS 2088:2000
• there are two locking devices to prevent folding
• the brakes work properly
• instructions are included and you follow them
• the harness provided will firmly restrain your child - a five point harness is best
• there are no sharp edges or open tubes
• removable pieces can be fastened securely
• fabric and linings fit snugly and do not contain gaps or hidden pockets that baby can get trapped in.

Do’s and Don’ts

Do:

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
• Properly secure all fastenings after washing fabric or after changing seat position.
• Check that the brakes work well and that they are on when pram is not moving.
• Make sure both locking devices (which prevent the pram folding) are in place before putting your child in the pram - there should always be at least two locking devices.
• Make sure the harness straps fit firmly.
• Make sure you use the harness all the time.

Do not:

• Do not hang shopping over handles - this makes the pram unstable and it could tip over.
• Do not leave fastenings undone while pram is in use - you may have created a gap that your child could fall through or get stuck in.
• Do not allow your child to climb into the stroller unassisted, or play on it - it could tip over.
• Do not use a pram on stairs or escalators - use lifts whenever possible.

Download a pdf version of this article from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.