The go-to pram for the urban parent

A growing family and lack of space often go hand in hand, especially if you are a city dweller and live a more urban life. That boot space that used to hold your endless bags of shopping will suddenly become home to a pram and all the paraphernalia that comes along with it.

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Once you start planning for your baby’s arrival, you will become aware of the sheer volume of products that are out there – it’s overwhelming! It’s easy to get caught up in the rabbit hole of Instagram shopping (because there are some pretty cute things), but you really need to think practically. What exactly are you going to need to see through those first months? Spoiler – it isn’t much!

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Why bigger doesn’t always mean better

When you first become a parent, you want ALL the gadgets. The massive pram you’ve been eyeing off online, along with every single attachment available. Surely you are going to need all of these things for your baby? Well not really! I remember being told by a friend, that once you have multiple children, you end up trading in your big and bulky pram for the most compact version available – she wasn’t far off! After the birth of my second child, I went ahead and purchased myself a ‘compact’ pram. Before I knew it, this quickly became my daily go-to out of pure convenience (and to save my back).

Thankfully brands have come a long way with compact prams and being ‘compact’ doesn’t necessarily mean skimping on quality or features. Read on and you will see just how practical, comfortable and durable the right ‘compact pram’ can be!

Invest in something with dual use

Professional Organiser, Anita Birges from mise en place says that it is all about investing in practical, quality products that will last and even better if it has a dual use! For example, can your baby drawers double as a change table? Or what about having an everyday urban pram that can double as your travel pram? If yes is the answer – go for it.

I recently took the Joolz Hub on a holiday and have to be honest, it’s remained my everyday pram since returning home. Mainly because it is super easy to fold and store, plus it takes up far less space in the boot! Of course, I’m also half Dutch and appreciate the practical, stylish and quality products they produce. Every single detail has been considered and nothing left to chance.

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Here’s a few more things we loved about the Joolz HUB:

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The Canopy

The canopy (or hood as I call it) is a very generous XL size, which also gives great UPF50+ coverage. It’s been designed with a sleeping baby in mind, and I love that it can be adjusted to block out the sun at almost any angle. It also has a great AirTop sun hood to give ventilation while they sleep or ride around being shaded.

Want to entertain your little one while they are riding around? They have even included integrated toy hanger loops in the hood – genius!

The Seat

One of the very first things I look for in a pram, is the comfort of the seat. If they are going to be spending a substantial amount of time in it, it’s important that they aren’t slouching – a good adjustable seat is key. Being able to lay flat is also top of the list, as chances are you are going to need to use it while they sleep. It even has an adjustable footrest which gives optimum comfort whether they are lying flat or sitting upright.

With a lot of compact prams, you can be restricted with which way they are seated. My older kids want to face forward while my youngest wants to face me…thankfully in one swift movement you can switch the seat between rear facing or forward facing.

Whilst the seat can be used from birth, they also sell a bassinet attachment. I would have chosen this option if it was my first child but for #3, she pretty much gets around like the big kids.

The Handling

This was one of the things that I was the most (pleasantly) surprised about. It has to be the easiest pram that I have used when it comes to zipping around – and that’s with a baby strapped to me in a carrier, a toddler in the pram and the other riding on the footboard. It’s so easy that you can literally steer it with one hand, even while the footboard attached.

The wheels are also fantastic for ensuring a smooth ride. Unlike most compact prams, it has large back wheels that are ultralight and puncture-proof.

The Accessories
The Nursery Bag.

I was never into nappy bags with my first-born, because they were always ugly and huge! Gone are the days where you need to worry about that, because thankfully brands have caught on. Especially with a firstborn, you are going to want (and need) all the compartments. It really does help to give everything a home, so that you can find it easily when needed. There are going to be plenty of times where you will need to dive into it one-handed.

The XL Shopping Tote.

I always loved frequenting the markets with my mother’s group. Going out to get the groceries or visit the shops a nice excuse for getting some fresh air. Whilst the pram has storage with an easy to access flap, I always like to have a little extra up my sleeve. The shopping bag holds way more than you realise and clips onto the pram so easily. It doesn’t topple the pram and means you can load up on those things you so desperately need while running errands.

I won’t lie, I have been tempted plenty of times to take the pram and shopping bag with me when I haven’t even had the kids.

Cup Holder.

If this is your first baby – congratulations! If you are a coffee drinker – you’ll be happy you are! I so looked forward to my coffee catch ups, but in light of being conscious of waste, would carry around my trusty reusable cup. In the past, the cupholders I have used have wriggled around a fair bit. The Joolz cupholder is is super sturdy and adjusts so that you can keep it at the perfect angle. It also has very clever inserts that adjust to fit varying cup sizes.

Footboard.

There is no way I could survive without this footboard, especially when carting around my little tribe. A lot of people wonder if the toddler gets tired standing up, but mine love riding around on it. Plus it beats carrying them around when they are tired. It perfectly clips to the rear axle of the pram and doesn’t slip and slide all over the place, making it easy to steer. I’ve also found it is pretty forgiving when you need to get down a small kerb – although I’m not sure I should recommend doing that (#mumof3)

It’s Compact & Versatile

Saving on space is something that is priceless, especially once you are overrun with little people. Gaining extra boot space is like winning the lottery and being able to fold it up (in one swift movement) and carry it? A game changer in times of need.

Whilst this isn’t an overhead locker-sized pram, it is easily folded for taking on a holiday. I personally prefer (and need) a sturdier pram for carting around a baby/toddler and would sacrifice the overhead locker convenience (which let’s face it, wouldn’t be all that frequent) for being able to cart the tribe around easily.

Finally, it’s no secret that I have been a Joolz fan from the beginning of my parenting journey. I have found it to be an extremely reliable brand with customer service that exceeded my expectations. It is evident that each product has been really well thought out, especially with the Hub and latest accessories. There are so many practical details that have been included in the making of these products. If you are in the market for a new pram or are just like me and need a more compact pram – definitely go in and see for yourself. You are going to love the HUB!

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