The only aspects of design Bugaboo pushchairs have in common with the earliest prams are that it has four wheels and a place for the baby or child to be placed. Strollers have been evolving since the first one was created more than 300 years ago. Early strollers came about during the Victorian era. William Kent is credited with making the first one for the third Duke of Devonshire.

Kent was actually a garden architect, not a stroller designer by trade. This first buggy had a harness for a goat to be attached to it, in order to pull the child around. There were also springs incorporated into the design for a more comfortable ride. After this first stroller was created, many others of similar design began to appear. Unfortunately, only the wealthy could afford such luxury.

Years later, the idea to add a handle to the pushchair was thought of, which meant that parents could be in charge of taking the child on excursions, instead of relying on goats, dogs, and small ponies to tote the buggy around.

It wasn’t until the late 1800s that anyone thought to create a reversible stroller. William H. Richardson is accredited with this major design change, as well as creating axles that allowed independent wheel movement. This alteration greatly improved the turning radius of pushchairs.

As World War One came to an end, even the middle class could afford new strollers. By this time, prams were all equipped with foot brakes, had deeper baskets to keep the child from escaping, and were lowered. The lowering of the basket was so that a child that did succeed in escaping wouldn’t receive major injuries from the incident. Rubber, plastic, and chrome also became a part of the stylish designs that began to appear.

By the time the 1950s rolled around, materials for pushchairs had become much cheaper. This lower cost for materials made it so that just about anyone could afford to purchase a new stroller for their baby. While the materials were changing, the compatibility factor was still an issue. It took complaints from the daughter of Owen Maclaren in 1965 to initiate the creation of the first umbrella stroller.

Maclaren’s daughter complained about the cumbersome stroller she had to take on her trip between London and the United States. After listening to the complaints, Maclaren came up with a lightweight aluminum frame that was able to be collapsed, but that could hold a large amount of weight when in use. This style of stroller is very similar to many designs that are found today. Not only are there still umbrella-style strollers, but there also ones made specifically for jogging.

Bugaboo pushchairs have only enhanced the advance of the stroller. Of the three styles Bugaboo offers, two of them are able to use as either a stroller or carrier. This convenient feature enables parents to eliminate the purchase of two separate items. Comfort and practicality are very important with the newer strollers. What started off as a way to transport baby from place to place, has now evolved into a stylish mode of transportation that grows with the child.