Since long, care for babies has been one of the prime concerns of mankind. It may be their food, clothes or transportation. Efforts have been made to ensure proper upbringing of the infants and children with a focus to their safety and consolation. Like many other aspects, carrying the baby or toddler has always been very sensitive issue primarily for reasons of comfort and protection. In 1733, William Kent who was a garden architect in England developed a shell shaped basket on wheels to carry the babies on the request of Duke of Devonshire and thus laid the foundation of modern days prams and pushchairs. The pram or carrycot basically refers to a carrier which is used exclusively for newborn and infants. In this carrier the infant lays inside facing upward and the pusher. The other category i.e. pushchair (or stroller) is used to carry the child having the age of two to four years in a sitting position.
Over the years the pram & pushchairs have been through a series of evolutionary processes. The products have found many shapes, designs and gadgets but the main attention has always been to optimize the comfort and safety parameters. Initially these were manufactured by wood and brass. To enhance their look, some beautiful art work was carved on different sides. With the passage of time multiple structural changes were made to facilitate the all round motion, folding, unfolding, positioning of the child, holding and pushing by the pusher etc. Similarly various materials were tried out to provide the soothing base for childs sitting or sleep. Moreover, a range of designs and styles were put to test for achieving effectiveness in all associated domains.
Prams and pushchairs extend great utility to parents and childcares setups. The infants and children can be conveyed conveniently and safely from one place to another. Parents often use them while shopping or having evening walk in the parks. The slopes of footpaths or shopping malls offer smooth passage for these types of carriers. The folding and unfolding mechanism of prams and push chairs make it a perfect choice for taking them along for a picnic or holiday trips. The attachments to these carriers of shades and beautiful umbrellas also prevent the child from scorching sunlight and rainfall.
The multi positioned reclining backs in pushchairs enable straight or inclined sitting or perfect sleeping position. Special manufacturing materials are utilized to have reliable and light weight products. The provision of breaks helps in safe parking during the usage of the same. The designs and materials of these products are to comply with respective health and safety standards to avoid any harm to the child or infant. Almost every make has space for keeping different child related items like diapers, feeding bottles, clothes and baby-towel etc. The optional accessories not only present some utility to users but also establish market differentiation among competitors.
Presently, the manufacturing of prams and pushchairs has shaped into a well established business segment to satisfy huge demand of the customers. The business is spread across the globe and as such no particular region or country is monopolizing the manufacturing of these products. Though there are local manufacturers in every country but some companies have gained branded repute globally for quality, ease-to-operate and key features of their products.
Outline structure:
Need and background of prams and pushchairs
Evolution in design, shapes and features
Utilities offered by the prams and pushchairs
Business perspective
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Pushchairs
