We’ve been using our Doona car seat stroller for a little under three months now and I wanted to write a review. If you’ve never heard of the brand, it is a car seat and stroller all-in-one combo. I will tell you right off the bat, it is worth the investment. (Stick around to the end for a hack on how to get $$ off!) If you’re on your first baby, or even your last and you’ve got your hands full, like me, this is the car seat for you. I wish anything I would have just bought it when I was shopping for a new one for Ivan when he was a baby. I almost did, but thought it was too pricey. In the grand scheme of things though, it is totally not overpriced for what it does. It has been a lifesaver and I’ll never recommend another infant car seat.

So let’s get into the pro’s of this car seat.

• The first, most obvious reason we love it, is that it is a stroller and car seat in one. Having four kids makes our trunk space tiny because we now utilize the third row. There isn’t room for a big stroller. I can barely fit an umbrella stroller back there. This car seat eliminates the need for a stroller base. The wheels literally just pop right out and you’re all set.

• It is compact and I am able to still get three car seats across the middle row of our Dodge Journey (we have a Combi Coccoro and a Combi Kobuk also) and the Doona fits perfectly, though it does have to go on the outside seat.
• My hands are full and my shopping cart fuller. Its so nice to not have to take up the entire shopping basket with a big baby seat. We push the stroller around and there’s more room for groceries in the cart.

• The kids can also help out. When in stroller form, my boys can push their little sister too. I just leave the handle at the lower setting. The big kids love to help with this task. Plus, its adorable to watch them pushing the stroller too. It gives me a free hand too, so when I’m alone at the grocery store with all four kids, Sylas (7), and even Ivan (4), can push the baby and I can steer the shopping cart with the other two kids in it.

• It steers so smooth its crazy. I can literally push and steer it one handed. That makes it great for holding little hands and steering at the same time. I need all the help I can get. It can do tight corners and small spaces because it is so compact too.
• It is quality made and my baby loves it. She seems very comfortable in there and we have now used it with and without the newborn insert. She still loves it. Noa will pass right out in the car seat, even before we are driving.

• It is so easy to convert from stroller to car seat and back. Literally a button, and the wheels are down and it collapses so easily. I’ve not had a problem waking the baby while converting it back and forth either.

There are only three things that I think are con’s to this car seat, and they’re pretty minor.

• First, its pretty heavy, even before baby is inside. I am only 5 foot tall and I don’t have any upper body strength. I can still get it in and out of the car fine, but it is heavy. Carrying it isn’t a problem though because it has wheels. So that kind of eliminates half of this con.
• The second con is the sun shade. I got used to the Cybex sun shade being so huge and it nearly covered the whole car seat, but the Doona is lacking there. It does come down pretty far, but not nearly as much coverage as some other brands. I usually use my nursing/car seat cover over it anyway because it keeps the wind and rain off, but it would be nice if the shade came down just a little farther for those days when I don’t want the cover over it.
• The last con is that there isn’t a basket underneath for storage like a regular stroller. You can buy a bag that clips to the stroller, and they also have little ones that velcro around the handle (this is what I have) that are on the small side, but will carry the basic necessities. I have a backpack-style purse and a diaper bag that I use instead. We haven’t had a long all-day outing yet that would require that extra storage under the stroller that I can’t carry in my bag, but I’m also learning what is necessity and what we can live without when we are out and about. I usually only have a handful of diapers for each of our girls, a packet of wipes, and one change of clothes for the baby because #diaperexplosions happen. When we have gone out for a longer day, I just keep the diaper bag in the car with all of the back up items and extras, and then just keep those aforementioned diapers and wipes in the handle bar bag or my backpack-style purse. To me, it really isn’t a con, but I know it is for some.

There are probably so many more reasons why I love this car seat, but these are the best reasons. The price tag for me isn’t a con, because I consider it an investment as it can be used through your baby-rearing years, just like a crib or furniture set.

The car seat price at the time of this post sits at $499 on amazon for the black one. Some color and fabric options cost more. To get a good chunk off the pricetag, you can create a free amazon baby registry, and 60 days before your due date, Amazon will give you a 15% discount (10% for non-prime members) on up to two purchases valuing up to $2000 dollars total. That makes the Doona $424.15 after discount. Occasionally, sites like poshbaby have sales too, so watch out for those also.

So there you have it, my Doona car seat and stroller review! If you have any questions leave them below for me!