We purchased the Doona at a discounted rate in exchange for this review and subsequent posts on Instagram.

All the planning we were doing throughout Fatima’s pregnancy involved how to make our lives easier for when our LO (little one) was born. We needed to maximize the storage potential in our apartment, find products that were dual purpose, and only get what we needed. As all parents know, that all goes out the window once your baby arrives. Even though everything was planned and thought out, we ended up making exchanges, returns, and buying new products we didn’t know we needed. However, one product that exceeded our expectations since we opened it is the Doona Car Seat and Stroller. Here’s our full review. Spoiler alert: we love it.

You can now purchase on Amazon!

What is the Doona Car Seat and Stroller?

Exactly that. It’s the only car seat in the world with integrated wheels so it can go from car seat to stroller in seconds. It was designed with safety and simplicity at its core, so it makes everyday parenting simpler and safer. Here’s a GIF to show you how easy it is:

Who Needs This?

If you’re looking to save space, not looking to buy a separate car seat and stroller, and always on the go, the Doona is for you. Living in the city, space is a luxury. We don’t have extra storage for a separate stroller and car seat. We needed a versatile product that would save space and give us the freedom to move around the city easily. The Doona allows us to run errands no matter the form of transportation. We can go from a taxi to the subway to the sidewalk without having to choose between a car seat or a stroller. Being in a walk-up apartment, the Doona makes it easy for us to carry a stroller up and down the stairs.

We typically take a taxi to our LO’s appointments. After his appointments, we’ve made it a habit to get ice cream. We walk to the ice cream shop and then take a taxi or walk home. The Doona makes getting around the city so much easier because it’s flexible to keep up with our on-the-go lifestyle.

Reactions So Far

In the first month with our son, we’ve gone to five different appointments. Including the ride we took home from the hospital, that’s 11 different taxi and Uber rides. At this point, we’re experts at loading and setting up the car seat. Every time a car pulled up, the driver got out and popped the trunk thinking we needed to store a stroller. Once they saw us transition the stroller to a car seat, they were so amazed. Here are some real comments:

“That’s so cool. I’ve never seen anything like that!”

“How does that work? That’s the most innovative stroller I’ve seen!”

“Wow. I wish I had this when my kids were kids.”

“You got the Bentley of strollers!”

Safety and Certifications

As soon as we took it out of the box, the Doona felt solid and durable. Over the last six weeks walking around the city and transitioning it from car seat/carrier to stroller, we see first hand how durable it is. Safety is always top of mind when looking for products for our LO. Not only does the Doona meet our lifestyle needs, it has been through rigorous testing to meet high standards.

The Doona is the world’s first car seat to pass three safety standards: car seat, stroller, and infant carrier. It was tested to meet US and EU standards for car seats and strollers.

• Received excellent ratings from Stifting Warentest, ADAC, OAMTC, and NHTSA. Received five-star rating for Ease of Use from the NHTSA.
• Anti-rebound and side impact protection.
  • The anti-rebound will absorb the impact and prevent the Doona from rotating.
  • The double wall structure, two layers of durable plastic, and the head support give three layers of side-impact protection.
• Certified for air travel by the US and EU authorities.
• Since it goes from car seat and carrier to stroller, there are fail-safe mechanisms to prevent misuse and assure safe operations: unintentional folding, sudden extension of the handle while in car seat mode, and rotation of the handle when in on-the-go mode.
• PVC and BPA free materials.
• A newborn insert comes with every Doona. This keeps the baby in an ergonomic position while in the Doona.

For more information on safety, please visit the product’s website (see links at the end).

Specs.

While it’s a little heavier and larger than the average car seat/carrier, the Doona is compact and does not take up a lot of space when in on-the-go (stroller) mode. We didn’t realize how compact it was until our first pediatrician appointment. Another family came in right behind us and parked their stroller next to ours. It wasn’t a huge stroller, but it looked monstrous next to the Doona. While you typically have to “park” your strollers in the front of our pediatrician’s office, we are able to bring the Doona into the exam room because it is compact and transitions to a baby carrier.

• Weighs 16.5lbs. (without your LO).
• Three modes: car seat/carrier, pull-along, on-the-go.
• The Doona is made for babies from 4 lbs to 35 lbs and 32 inches (typically 18-24 months old).
• Rearward facing infant car seat.
• Two-year warranty against manufacturing or material defects.
• Many accessories like a sun shade, insect net, and storage bags are available (we love our sun shade).
• We chose ‘night’, but the Doona comes in a variety of other colors.

Car Seat/Carrier

Our LO feels very secure in the seat. The 5-point safety harness clicks into a center buckle and the chest straps come together at the armpit level of your baby. The straps are easy to adjust with the harness adjustment button in the front (white button located by the feet of your LO).

When in car seat mode, it rocks on the floor. This is convenient when trying to soothe our LO when we’re stationary in the doctor’s office.

Infant Insert and Head Rest

As mentioned above, every Doona comes with an infant insert and head rest. The insert is made for babies up to 11 lbs and keeps the baby in an ergonomic position. The head rest is to be used for as long as possible since it provides a layer of side impact protection.

Our son is always comfortable in it. Usually falls asleep when we’re in the car or walking down the street.

• The insert and head rest are made from bamboo charcoal fibre which is anti-bacterial, hypoallergenic, humidity and thermal regulating.
• These are machine washable, but you should only do that when necessary. We haven’t had any big blowouts to do that yet!

Latch Base

A latch base comes with the Doona so you can install the car seat in your car without having to set it up with seat belts every time. This makes it easier to load/unload from your own car. Since we don’t have a car, we haven’t used this piece yet. While it’s pretty easy to use the seat belts to secure the Doona, the latch base will make it easier load and unload in our own car.

Stroller

Activate the Wheels

To activate the stroller for pull-along or on-the-go mode, push and pull the lever on the back of the Doona. Since the wheels use gravity to swing into place, you might want to use your leg to catch them. Or start from the ground and raise the Doona. Once you hear the click you know they are secured in place. The fail safe mechanism will prevent the wheels from swinging out/folding unless you push and pull the lever on the back.

Handle

When the wheels are out, the handle can shift between being in the middle for pull-along mode and angled for on-the-go mode. Pull-along is great for a casual pull through a store or restaurant. When the handles are in on-the-go stroller mode, they can be extended for adults or left short for kids. This extension is a great feature for families to get young siblings to help push their LO.

Brake

There is a brake (red) and release (green) on the wheels. I know this is standard on most strollers, but they are really easy to push into place.

Price

While the $499 price point is a bit of a sticker shock, consider you’ll need to buy a separate stroller and car seat. When we were looking at car seats and strollers, we averaged around $350 between the two. For $150 more, you get a two-in-one product that gives flexibility to busy parents. In addition, you know you’re getting a high-quality and safe product for your LO.

Accessories

We love the sun shade. It’s lightweight and easy to set up. Having a baby in the summer means we’ve taken a lot of walks through the park. The sun shade helps to protect our LO’s delicate skin. The zipper on top lets us take a peek at him when we’re walking. Other accessories available include:

• Latch base comes with the Doona, but you can buy more of them separately.
• A variety of bags in all sizes.
• Wheel covers.
• Vehicle seat protection covers.
• Rain cover.
• Insect net.
• A 360 degree protection cover for enhanced UV protection.

Pros/Cons Round Up

Pros

• Total mobile solution for on-the-go parents.
• Can go from a car to the street to subway easier than a typical stroller.
• Space saver since it’s a combined car seat and stroller.
• No need to pack a car seat and a separate stroller when traveling (frees up your trunk).
• Airplane approved. This is a game changer when we go on our first trip with our LO.
• Compact stroller to move around aisles and crowded areas easily.
• You get your money’s worth: durable, safe, multifunctional.

Cons

• The weight. It’s a little heavier than most carriers. However, Brian does not have an issue carrying the Doona with our LO in it. We only need to carry it going up and down the stairs to our apartment and to the subway. after six weeks, we’ve gotten used to the weight. Especially with our growing LO sitting in it.

See More Doona

Interested in purchasing or looking for more information? Find DOONA on Amazon.