Doona Infant Car Seat Review

Two weeks into motherhood, my husband went back to work. There I was, still in pain and exhausted, wondering how moms manage to do anything with a fussy baby insisting on being held all day long. That day, however, I decided to venture out on our first solo outing — just me and my daughter. Well, even with the lightest stroller and the lightest car seat, getting in and out the door turned out to be quite the ordeal.

I brought the base of my stroller down the stairs, came back up for my screaming baby, back down I went with the car seat and clipped it onto the stroller. Not so bad I thought, except I’d have to do this again when I came home and every single time I left my apartment for the foreseeable future. If only there was a better way? Oh wait, there is… It’s called the Doona Infant Car Seat by Simple Parenting, and I should have had it from day one! Curious to know why?

Here are 8 things you need to know about the Doona.

1. It’s a car seat that transforms into a stroller within seconds. Yes, you read that right, seconds; and it can be a real lifesaver for parents living in the city and the suburban setting alike. Up until the debut of Doona, the travel system or Snap-N-Go, were the most convenient means of toting an infant car seat outside of a car, but the Doona offers an alternative to these options. With the Doona, no longer do you need to pull out your stroller and connect the car seat to it. Whether it’s stairs you need to climb, using a taxi, getting in and out of a car multiple times a day, or easily squeezing inside your favorite, pre-baby restaurant that happens to be a hole in the wall, this car seat saves you time and hassle.

2. It works from birth through the toddler years. The Doona Infant Car Seat is suitable from birth to 35 pounds and up to 32 inches tall, or the typical lifecycle of an infant car seat. However, like most infant car seats, you may see your child craving a more upright position about a year in.

3. It’s a germaphobe’s dream. The stroller legs effortlessly unfold from the car seat and when you fold it back up, the wheels don’t touch the car seat — so smart! I mean being a city dweller has made me pretty laid back about germs (hello subway poles), but stroller wheels touching the fabric of my infant’s car seat, no thank you.

4. It’s super safe. One of the most impressive aspects of the Doona is the safety factor. It’s got a LATCH base, but because it’s equipped with Integral Belt locking clips, you don’t need to use the base, which is key for city living. A luxe infant insert, made from breathable, mesh memory foam also acts as extra side-impact protection; and the Doona actually has a total of three layers. The adjustable handle bar acts as an anti-rebound bar, oh and it’s FAA approved. Need I say more about safety?

5. It’s got a flip-flop friendly brake. Why aren’t all strollers equipped with this by now?? It really is the most practical kind of brake there is.

6. Plus other helpful details like a no-rethread harness, generous canopy and extendable handle bar, which is necessary since the car seat itself sits pretty low to the ground when in stroller mode.

7. It’s stylish! Car seats are generally built for their utility purpose, but the Doona is also really stylish, which is nice since it’s not meant to stay in the car. The sleek, modern design of the Doona makes me feel like a ‘cool mom’ walking down the street. I’m one of those people that won’t purchase a baby product unless it’s aesthetically pleasing.

8. It reduces the clutter….and the cost. Having a baby is expensive! There’s so much gear. And more gear. And more gear. The Doona checks both the stroller and car seat boxes all at once, meaning less clutter, and less cost.