The Doona Car Seat Stroller is fabulous for travel. It’s easy to use and easy to transition from car seat to stroller which makes it basically the best travel car seat stroller.
I recently purchased the Doona Car Seat and Stroller because my husband and I frequently travel together with our children and I had heard that the Doona was the ultimate travel car seat and stroller. It’s considered the best travel stroller because the Doona happens to be an all-in-one car seat and stroller combination!
We considered using the travel system we had originally purchased but opted to instead buy and travel with the Doona instead for a number of reasons that I’ll include in my overall review below! I’m also adding frequently asked questions and answers below the review to help you decide if a Doona is right for you and your family!
I’ll first start by saying that I love the Doona. It was definitely a splurge for us considering we already have a really nice stroller and car seat, but the price point is still lower than all of the top brands offering traditional stroller and car seat travel systems. My main attraction towards the Doona is the fact that it’s an all-in-one infant car seat/stroller combination. The unique combination makes it a top competitor amongst the popular travel systems. Most come as separate items where a car seat can be clicked into a stroller.
The Doona transforms from a car seat into a stroller and vice versa. This eliminates the need to travel with two separate, bulky items. It also frees up storage space in the car you travel in by eliminating the need to put a large infant stroller in the back! I have traveled quite a bit and I can say with authority that the Doona makes traveling with a baby very, very easy! It’s a rear-facing only seat and is suitable for babies up to 35 pounds and 24 months of age.
Plus, it’s not just a stroller made only for traveling. The Doona comes with a car seat latch base, a vehicle seat protector, an infant insert, and head support which makes it extremely safe as well as suitable for everyday use! Plus, it’s comfortable for your baby and is a smooth ride, which I consider to be particularly important after pushing around my older daughter in a stroller that had small plastic wheels and made every walk really bumpy!
It’s also a nice looking stroller and car seat and it comes in a variety of colors, Honestly, if I had known how much I would have liked the Doona prior to purchasing, I may have chosen it as my main stroller and not gone with a traditional stroller and click-in car seat.
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FAQ’s About the Doona Car Seat Stroller
To help clear up anything else you may want to know when looking into the Doona I’d like to answer some frequently asked questions I came across when I was looking into purchasing a Doona!
Is the Doona as nice as other car seats and strollers? Is it as safe?
Yes! I think it is well designed and made with quality materials. It also has the highest safety and quality standards. It’s made with baby-safe materials and new and improved breathable fabrics and foams.
It’s also rear-facing and the adjustable handlebar doubles as an anti-rebound bar in the car.
It also uses a 5-point harness system and the canopy is UPF 50+ sun protected and water repellent. It’s also very easy to convert to and from a car seat to a stroller and back to a car seat again.
How much does the Doona cost?
The Doona is $550 on Amazon. If you want to upgrade to the Midnight Edition it’ll set you back $650.The Midnight Edition includes a faux leather handlebar cover, Doona Midnight Essentials bag, faux leather touches throughout the seat, and a diamond-shaped seat cover.
Where can I purchase a Doona?
I recommend purchasing a Doona from their Amazon online store or an authorized retailer only!!! Doona DOES NOT have an outlet store online. Fun fact: If you create an Amazon baby registry you can get a completion discount code (10% – 15%) that you can use on a Doona.
Here is a link to find an authorized retailer: https://www.shopdoona.com/pages/store-locator.
I’ve done an online search and found something comparable to the Doona on eBay or another seller site. Is it the same thing as the Doona? If it’s cheaper on one of those sites why not just get one from there?
I do not recommend purchasing a used car seat, ever. If you do make sure to only do so if you know the seat’s expiration date and make sure it’s never been in a car accident. There are also retailers on eBay and similar sites that sell knock-off products that look like the same thing with prices that look too good to be true.
They’ll advertise a Doona but read the ad carefully… You’ll come to see that it’s not really a Doona and therefore isn’t made with the same safety and quality standards. I recommend purchasing a Doona ONLY through the official Doona website or through Amazon.
How long can a baby stay in a Doona car seat?
Recommended usage is for infants 4-35 pounds and up to 32 inches in height.
Is the Doona car seat safe for Newborns?
Yes! Just use the infant insert that comes with your purchase. It is specifically for newborns and can be used for up to 3 months.
Does Doona work for toddlers?
Doona is recommended for children that weigh up to 35 pounds and up to 32 inches in height. Larger children need a larger car seat, but this is true for all infant car seats. A lot of people choose to start off with an infant car seat and switch to a larger seat when the baby gets older. Infant seats are more convenient. They’re easier to switch from car to car and carry when the infant is young and can’t walk yet. They may also be better for smaller cars.
Does the Doona car seat need a base?
You may use the Doona as a car seat with or without the base that comes included with your purchase. You can also buy an extra base if you’d like for a second car.
Are Doona car seat strollers worth it?
In my opinion, yes the Doona is worth it. It’s high quality and very safe! It’s great for families that travel frequently, live in apartment buildings, need or want to maximize space in cars, or don’t want to deal with the hassle of getting a stroller in and out of the car. Plus, the cost is mid-range as far as travel systems come but has the quality and smooth ride of a luxury stroller.
Can I take a Doona on a plane?
Yes! You can take the Doona right to a seat, gate check it, or check with other checked baggage. I recommend either gate checking for ease of navigating the airport OR asking the gate agent if there are extra seats on the plane and find out if they’ll let you use the extra seat for your baby’s car seat. They’ll ask if the car seat is certified for airplane use or FAA approved and the Doona meets FAA approval/aircraft certification requirements. (I’ve never been asked this.) There is a sticker on it that shows it’s approved.
The website says the Doona in the color I want is sold out! I want one but now how do to get one?
They’re in high demand so it frequently says sold out. First, check all of the colors you want… it may be sold out in one color but not the other color(s). If all of the colors you’d want to purchase the Doona in are sold out then sign up to receive email notifications letting you know when it’s available. I’ve noticed they become available again quickly and frequently. You can also check the website frequently to see what is in stock.
Does the Doona come with anything? Like a base or newborn insert?
The Doona Car Seat & Stroller comes with a latch base, head support, infant insert, and vehicle seat protector!
I recommend looking into getting a car seat or stroller protector in case you have to check or gate check your Doona. In fact, Doona even sells lightweight, easy-to-use travel bags perfect for travel. They are water-resistant and one is even padded to protect against it getting handled roughly. They even fold up into a small pouch to make it convenient store when not using it. (Meagan has had at least five strollers broken by the airlines.)
Does the Doona make a good everyday car seat/stroller? Is the Doona just for traveling?
The Doona is great for both everyday use and travel!
Are there any downsides to using the Doona?
Not really. It is a little heavier than traditional infant car seats that you carry, but not by much and the convenience makes up for a little extra weight. There’s no storage below the stroller like traditional strollers but there is a Doona snap-on storage accessory available to purchase. They have other accessories available for purchase too.
I use hooks to carry my diaper bag, shopping bags, etc. Also, there are no baby bassinet add ons that some of the top luxury stroller brands carry. To be honest, I don’t think a baby bassinet is something I would use very often anyway. And the Doona recommends it only be used for children up to 35 pounds. You’ll have to get a larger stroller for children once they surpass the weight limit so it probably is not worth getting if your baby is getting close to the weight limit!
How do you turn a Doona car seat into a stroller?
To turn the Doona from a car seat to a stroller you adjust the handlebar from its rear-facing position (against the back seat in a rear-facing car seat position) to the top middle position via the side handle rotation buttons, pull the release button on the back of the stroller to release from the base.
Then again to release the wheels, and adjust the handlebar to your preference and extend to the preferred height via the extension button at the top of the handlebar.
To change it back into a car seat you have to use the brake next to the wheels, adjust your handlebar to lower it back down and adjust to the middle position, pull the release on the back of the seat, and lower it down towards the front of the seat. Then adjust your handlebar back towards the front of the rear-facing car seat (against the back seat).
I hope this helps you and your family decide if the Doona is right for you!
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Hi there!
I am about to travel overseas with my almost 1-year-old and have the Doona. The airline doesn’t allow rear facing car seats to be used on the flight. Doona recommends rear facing use only, but on one of your pictures it looks like you have the Doona installed forward facing on the flight. I’m looking for more information on if it’s possible to use the Doona forward facing and how to best do this. Figured I would ask you as it looks like you have a lot of experience in using the Doona.
Thank you!
Yes, so we just flew with her facing forward for the flight. You can see in one of the photos how we have it buckled across. Hope this helps!