Pram snobbery exists and there is pressure on parents to buy expensive strollers

Moms get judged over what they feed their kids, whether or not they breastfeed, and, apparently, over what kind of stroller they buy.

Raising kids can be expensive and this woman got a glimpse of that, looking at the several high-priced prams available in high-street stores.

When it was time for her to buy a new stroller, not only did she realize that prams (as they are commonly called in the UK) were way too expensive than what she had expected, but she also felt that there was pressure on parents to buy expensive things (even if it was not needed).

In a Facebook post, a mother vented her frustration at the expensive price tags attached to many prams on sale in high street stores. Jayne says her excitement for having a baby was shattered when she went shopping for prams when she was pregnant. 

“When I was pregnant, I gave less than half a s*** about what type of pram we got,” she wrote. “One with wheels and that went along was all I cared about.”

Her husband, however, got really into the pram shopping.

“Turns out Pram Envy is a ‘thing’, cos every where we went, Ryan would gawp at people’s choice of pram,” she wrote. “I hadn’t noticed prams before, or even really cared. But now I was introduced to the world of Pram Snobbery. I mean, no one wants to be pushing around a ‘Ladybird’ pram when you could have a f***ing Quinny 3?!”

So, it seems the type of stroller parents buy for their little ones can be seen as a status symbol, and parents are under pressure to spend big money on a high-end stroller.

Related: Here’s our complete stroller buying guide.

Here’s what a mom-to-be had to say after visiting Mothercare a few weeks before D Day:

1. First, that there’s a reason the floor in Mothercare is ‘wipe clean’ and it has nothing to do with children/babies. No no no…. It’s because when you see the price that they are charging for a baby carrier, your excitement for the future literally drops out of your a***hole.
2. Secondly, I learnt that everyone else is either way richer than me, or it’s just normal for a pram to cost more than we’ve ever spent on a f***ing CAR.”

After getting the shock of their lives because of the steep stroller prices, a couple decided to get a perfectly good stroller secondhand, but when their daughter grew out of it, they found a brand new stroller on sale.

“After parting with a solid, I was excited to join the ‘New Pram’ club,” she wrote. “Yes, everyone else’s was worth at least 10x what mine was… But mine actually came out of a BOX this time, and not off a car boot stall for a tenner…”

Her excitement didn’t last long, though.

The parent says that no one tells you when you are parting with your hard earned cash that you may have the top-of-the-range, Ferrari-equivalent, needed a loan for, flashiest pram in the whole world, but there’s no guarantee that the child (who can walk) will sit in the stroller.

Her daughter was spending more time walking and would often refuse to sit in the stroller.

The mom’s post is relatable and points to a very real problem for low or middle-income parents, who often have to buy expensive baby products secondhand. Having a baby is expensive even without a stroller that costs nearly as much as a car, and shaming moms for doing their best to provide for their children with what they have is never okay.

“She doesn’t actually mention anyone shaming her. She mentions her and her husband’s own envy. It feels like every post these days is just stirring things up that didn’t even happen. Her reaction is just as snobbish as what she’s ranting against. But she gets her 15 minutes of social media fame and that undoubtedly makes her happy,” one of the comments on her FB post.

“It’s not just pram snobbery, it’s everything else too, the baby’s clothes, baby carrier/pack etc, one almost feels inadequate if you don’t dress your baby in organic Merino. Baby brand toys too, what is tied to the pram is all scrutinized. I hadn’t realised that people actually noticed until i got some positive comments from mother’s in parents groups when i had a few designer sought after labels when these were handed down to me by a friend. And if there is a strain that you can’t get out of your babies top or clothes, you may as well bin it, I’ve had ‘looks’ for daring to take my baby out in set in stained but otherwise washed clothes that only harsh chemicals could remove stains from,” another comment.

Pram judgment is really a thing

Pram Judgment, as most parents would tell you, is definitely a thing.

First, there was the beautiful new designer pram. It was lovely. It now sits in the garage, covered in lovely dust, having had one flat tire too many.

Then there was the $15 stroller. That lasted one outing where I was hunching over trying to reach the non-adjustable handles, and the plastic wheels came off.

Pram #3 was an amazing little fold-up number. A minimalist design that could fit in one’s lap when folded. Too small for a child older than nine months.

Expecting a second child, we deliberated over whether we really needed a double pram (if you’re in this boat, the answer is Yes. If your two kids fit in one, you need one).

A kind friend gave me Pram #4, a big-sized pram that could fit lots of kids. My husband called it “The Baby Trolley” and refused to use it, so I foolishly sold it.

Even if you only have two children, you might well need seven (and counting) prams.

Realizing we still needed a double, I resorted to Pram #5, one of those incline double three-wheeler strollers. The heavier kid must go in front, the safety instructions said. Which in real life is IMPOSSIBLE, when the heavier and therefore older kid is always the one who wants to hop out suddenly, sending the pram flying backwards.

So it was back to getting a new, more compact model. This time, no one told me how giant my pram is (Pram Judgment… it’s a thing). This was a wonderful addition to the family, doing thousands of kilometres and I loved it.

But we weren’t as nice to Pram #6 as we should have been. I treated it with the same carelessness I’d probably treat a sixth child. It’s been left out in the sun (and rain) too many times to count. After having the car boot slammed on it on multiple occasions and letting the heavier child sit in the smaller seat it finally snapped.

OK, I thought. Maybe we’re grown up and we can handle life without a pram. But a few 2.5km round trips to preschool proved otherwise. After just a week we were desperate for another.

By the time we got to Pram #7, the pram fund was looking pretty bare, so last week, I scoured listings in search of the same model, navigating the cutthroat second-hand market for another one, proudly posting a picture of my prize on Instagram.

My friends now either tease me, calling me a Pram Hoarder, or privately message me asking for advice on what pram they can get to suit their specific needs. Some even do both.

Here’s an interesting thread on this topic:
Do you feel judged based on the pram you own?