On the Go With Doona

The physicality of motherhood is inescapable. Each day, I am faced with the importance of being strong, energized, and present as a mother of two sons, Sullivan, a four-year-old who can nearly outpace me, and Ellis, a three-month-old who prefers to be held. Not to mention, I want fuel in my tank after a full day with my sons; I want to have something left to give Jared and Jones, and most importantly, I want to have something left to give myself. The prerequisite to a healthy, grounded family is a healthy, grounded mother.

Very consciously, I wish for my sons to experience me as a strong mother. I experienced my own mother this way; I vividly recall how I admired her muscular arms and cardiac endurance as a young child. I loved watching her exercise, and I do not have a single memory of her losing physical steam despite her assured exhaustion. Like her, I also wish to experience myself as a strong mother. And, as my sons grow, I wish for their memories to fill with active adventures with us, Jared and me, as their parents.

I tell Jared often, “We are playing the long game,” when we are on the go with our sons. In the moment, it can feel quite physical and lively, very often teetering on chaotic, as we are raising our sons to be adaptable, curious, and lighthearted while on the go. To create this adventurous culture as a family, and to raise sons who seek to experience new environments, we must practice being on the go. We visit museums, parks, and local shops each weekend, and when possible, we travel to family-friendly cities to expand our understanding of the world.

While I have several tricks up my sleeve to set us up for success on the go, there is one item I have not gone without when outside of our home: the Doona.

The Doona, quite famous within our community of parents, is both a car seat and a stroller. It is a must-have item when on the go with an infant, as it makes exploration more seamless. We used the Doona for Sullivan, and now, we use it for Ellis. It is the car seat and stroller he was in when we left the hospital after giving birth, and it is the car seat and stroller he is in as a three-month-old.

The Doona is offered in several colors, and it comes with infant inserts and a variety of optional accessories.

My sons were each born during colder months, so we opted for the Doona Footmuff. We also have a base and a seat protector in each car.

You can learn more about Doona here and view their complete website here. See more on Instagram here.

This post was created in partnership with Doona.

All photos were taken by Zachary Gray. View more blog posts here.