How to install the Doona Doona+
Doona gives 4 ways to put it in the car, with the base and without it, so a taxi or a second car works without another base.
Steps retold from Doona's manual. The manual that came with your seat is the one to follow.
Doona
Doona+
$550 list price
How to install the Doona Doona+ in the car
Pick how you're putting it in. Each way is from the maker's manual.
Base with LATCH
Where it can go: Rear-facing only in a vehicle. Never on a seat with an active frontal airbag; never on a side- or rear-facing vehicle seat. Doona recommends a rear seating position; a front seat only if the vehicle manual allows it and the frontal airbag is deactivated. Never use LATCH in a seat with nonstandard lower anchor spacing (standard is 11"/280 mm). No top tether. Do not use LATCH and the belt together.
- Park on level ground; release the LATCH connectors from their storage slots by holding the red buttons.
- Lengthen the LATCH strap by holding its release button and pulling.
- Place the base flat on the seat, touching the seat back, and click the connectors onto the vehicle's anchors.
- Turn the recliner knob until the white markers on both level indicators are fully in the green zone.
- Press the base down into the seat while pulling the LATCH adjuster strap up to tighten.
Check it before you drive
- Grab the base at the belt guides and push side to side and front to back: it should not move more than 1" in any direction.
- White marker still fully in the green zone after installing.
Retold from Doona manual (PDF). Your vehicle's manual also says which seats have LATCH anchors. When in doubt, a certified child passenger safety technician can check your install.
The carrier on and off the base
Clicking it onto the base
- Put the seat in carrier mode (wheels folded) with the handle upright in position B.
- Face the seat toward the back of the car, line it up over the base anchor points and slide it down until it clicks and locks.
- Lift the seat to check it is properly secured.
- Check the base release button has turned from red to green.
- Turn the handle toward the back of the car into position C.
The maker warns: The Doona Base must be secured in the vehicle before you put the car seat on it.
Key specs
- Ways to install
- 4
- Without the base
- Yes
- Carrier weight
- 17.2 lb
- Child weight
- 4–30 lb
- On a plane
- Approved; the maker doesn't say about the base
- Expires
- 7 years
Which Doona bases it goes with
The Doona+ base: Doona LATCH Base; can also be installed without the base.
What Doona says about its bases and carriers, for a second car or an older base.
- Only a Doona fits the Doona LATCH base, and a Doona doesn't fit other brands' bases. Doona help article
- The US Doona comes with a LATCH base. A European Doona was never tested on the US LATCH base, so Doona won't back that combination. Doona help article
The newborn insert
What Doona says about the insert
- Use the infant insert if your baby weighs under 11 lbs, or if the shoulders are below the lowest shoulder strap slots without it.
- Place the insert at the lowest part of the seat to support your baby's back.
- Thread the harness buckle and its sleeve through the hole at the bottom of the insert.
- Take the insert out once your baby's shoulders, without the insert, are above the lowest shoulder strap slots.
When it won't sit right: the maker's answers
- Think back: did you recently take off the cover or change the shoulder straps?
- If so, the straps are often put back the wrong way. Check the harness did not end up on the outside of the bar.
- Re-route the straps correctly and try clicking it in again.
- Still stuck? Contact your local Doona distributor.
Questions about installing the Doona+ (12)
Can I install the Doona Doona+ base with the seat belt instead of LATCH?
Yes. Doona's manual gives steps for the base with LATCH and with the car's seat belt.
Where in the car can the Doona Doona+ go?
Rear-facing only in a vehicle. Never on a seat with an active frontal airbag; never on a side- or rear-facing vehicle seat. Doona recommends a rear seating position; a front seat only if the vehicle manual allows it and the frontal airbag is deactivated. If the shoulder belt is too short to go around the back, use the standard lap-shoulder method.
How do I know the Doona Doona+ is installed right?
Grab the seat at the lap belt path and push side to side and front to back: it should not move more than 1" in any direction. The belt must lock, otherwise use a locking clip. Check the red level line is still level after installing.
What are the weight and height limits of the Doona Doona+?
4–30 lb, up to 32 in tall.
Can you use the Doona Doona+ without the base?
Yes. Doona's manual describes 2 ways to install it with no base: with the European belt path; with a lap belt.
Is the Doona Doona+ FAA approved?
Yes, the maker says it is certified for use in aircraft.
When does the Doona Doona+ expire?
7 years after the date it was made; the date is on the seat's label.
What base does the Doona Doona+ use?
Doona LATCH Base; can also be installed without the base.
Can I buy an extra Doona base?
Only a Doona fits the Doona LATCH base, and a Doona doesn't fit other brands' bases.
When do I use or remove the Doona Doona+ infant insert?
Use the infant insert if your baby weighs under 11 lbs, or if the shoulders are below the lowest shoulder strap slots without it. Place the insert at the lowest part of the seat to support your baby's back.
My Doona won't click into the base anymore?
Think back: did you recently take off the cover or change the shoulder straps? If so, the straps are often put back the wrong way. Check the harness did not end up on the outside of the bar. Re-route the straps correctly and try clicking it in again. Still stuck? Contact your local Doona distributor.