can the doona car seat face forward

[McEmiliano]

No, the Doona Infant Car Seat & Stroller cannot be used in a forward-facing position. It is exclusively designed as a rear-facing-only seat, which is the safest way to transport an infant. This design adheres to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommendation that all children ride in a rear-facing car seat until they reach the maximum height or weight limit allowed by the manufacturer.

The primary reason for this limitation is safety. In a frontal collision—the most common and severe type of crash—a rear-facing seat cradles the infant's head, neck, and spine, distributing the crash forces evenly across the strong shell of the car seat. A forward-facing seat restrains the child's body with a harness, but their head and neck are subjected to tremendous forward force, which can lead to serious injury for a underdeveloped infant.

The Doona is an infant car seat, designed for newborns and smaller babies. The transition to a forward-facing seat is a major milestone that comes much later, typically only after a child has outgrown a rear-facing convertible seat, which has much higher limits.

Specification	Detail	Importance
Seat Type	Infant Car Seat / Stroller	Defines its single, integrated function.
Rear-Facing Weight Limit	4 - 35 lbs (approx. 1.8 - 13.6 kg)	The seat's usable range.
Rear-Facing Height Limit	Up to 32 inches (81 cm)	Determined by when the child's head is 1" from the shell top.
Forward-Facing Capability	None	It is not certified or safe for forward-facing use.
Recommended Next Seat	Rear-Facing Convertible Car Seat	The correct progression after outgrowing the Doona.
Primary Safety Standard	FMVSS 213	U.S. federal motor vehicle safety standard it meets.

Once your child exceeds either the 35-pound weight limit or the 32-inch height limit, you will need to transition to a new car seat. The next step is not a forward-facing seat, but a convertible car seat that can be installed in a rear-facing position with a higher weight limit (often 40 or 50 pounds), allowing your child to remain in the safer rear-facing position for a longer time.

[LaPhoebe]

Nope, it only goes backward. That’s actually the safest way for a baby to ride, according to all the safety guides. The Doona is made just for tiny passengers, from when you first bring them home from the hospital until they hit about 35 pounds. Think of it as their first little protective capsule. When they get too big for it, you move them to a bigger car seat that can still face the rear for a good while longer.

[EvanLynn]

As a parent who just went through this, the Doona cannot face forward. It's a rear-facing-only infant seat. This was a key point the salesperson emphasized for safety. It's incredibly convenient as a stroller, but you have to be ready for its limits. You'll get a solid year or so of use out of it, depending on your baby's size, before you need to shop for the next car seat, which will be a convertible one that stays rear-facing.