Considering you won’t even be able to leave the hospital with your new bundle of joy unless you have one installed properly in your vehicle, I think we can all agree that an infant car seat is one of the first—and most important—investments you’ll make in the wonderful world of baby gear.

Car seats intended for the first few months of your baby’s life are always rear-facing, but some can convert to forward-facing and be used as your child gets older and bigger. What you need to decide is how portable you want that infant car seat to be, since the convertible seats aren’t usually able to become part of your stroller’s travel system; instead, they stay in your vehicle.

No matter which route you take, know that not all car seats are created equal and that your child’s safety should be your primary consideration. Style and colour options are nice, but certainly don’t outweigh safety features. But what’s more important than the infant car seat you choose is how you use it; remember that the chest strap should buckle between your child’s armpits and that Health Canada recommends rear-facing until age two.