No, you should not use the Doona infant car seat without its dedicated base in a car. While the Doona is uniquely designed as a stroller and car seat combo, its function as a safe car seat is entirely dependent on being securely installed using its base. The base is engineered with a Load Leg and Side-Impact Protection system that work together to stabilize the seat and manage crash forces, which cannot be replicated by a seatbelt installation alone.
Using the Doona without the base is not approved as a safe car seat configuration by the manufacturer. The base provides the critical, rigid connection to the vehicle's LATCH system or seat belt. Without it, the seat cannot be installed with the required stability, posing a significant safety risk to your infant. A loose car seat can lead to excessive movement or even ejection during a sudden stop or collision.
The only scenario where the Doona is used without its base is when it's in stroller mode on a sidewalk. The moment you place it in a vehicle, the base is mandatory. For families with multiple cars, purchasing a second base is the recommended and safest solution to ensure proper protection in every vehicle.
| Safety Feature | Function | Risk Without Base |
|---|
| Load Leg | Extends to the vehicle floor to prevent rotation | Seat can rotate forward, increasing injury risk |
| LATCH Connectors | Provides a rigid, standardized attachment | Reliance on seatbelt-only install, which may be less secure |
| Side-Impact Protection | Integrated into base structure | Compromised protection in a side-impact collision |
| Recline Angle Indicator | Ensures correct infant airway positioning | Difficult to achieve and verify correct angle |
| Stability | Minimizes side-to-side and front-to-back movement | Loose installation can lead to dangerous movement |
