Next to the crib and some sort of stroller system, chances are you've put — or will put — the baby carrier as a registry essential. You can't just zip your baby around in the bassinet forever. If you're anything like me, the second you ask a seasoned mom for her recommendations, she's going to bombard you with the heavy hitters, the brands that typically dominate when you type "best baby carrier" into search.

But, like I tend to do with most things in life, I ask tons of people for very specific advice, and then I do my own research and decide that I really appreciate their help but I'll just ignore them and do something else instead. After three different close friends told me they used the same brand of carrier, and a family friend even gave us a hand-me-down older version of it, I strayed and bought an obscure brand I discovered online, the MiaMily Hipster Plus [1] ($126, originally $129). This Swiss brand not only had many safety awards but also made the only one I'd seen with a built-in seat to reduce the weight for the parent and maintain correct hip positioning for the baby.

My husband and I have been using it on repeat for nearly six months (we used it with an infant insert in the beginning), and I routinely get stopped at the park by other moms who are drawn to the seat. But this carrier reigns queen in my book for a number of reasons. Here are a few:

The glorious compartments

I'd heard friends complain that they wished their carriers had pockets. The Hipster Plus has a big pocket at the base of the seat that fits nappies, cell phones, and even a small bottle, so when I walk her, I'm usually hands- and nappy-bag-free.

You can use it six different ways, including forward-facing

We've just started carrying our daughter forward-facing, but at 8 months if we need, we can carry her on our backs. In fact, you can use it up to 48 months or 44 pounds.

The snap-on cover

I'm a tad embarrassed to admit that I didn't even know about this fun feature until much later (I'd toss blankets over my daughter's head when it was sunny outside), but now I use it all the time.

MiaMily Hipster Plus

The MiaMily Hipster Plus [2] ($126, originally $129) is honestly the smartest parenting move I've made to date.