Notes from the Field: On the Road with Baby

This week, Chris and Lucy and I are three thousand miles from home, visiting family, friends, and that wonderful east-coast sun. The trip has been great--once we finally arrived. After sitting for 2.5 hours on the tarmac, waiting for a faulty engine part to be replaced, we missed our connecting flight and ended up nearly four hours late to our final destination. But! The good news is, because we're greenies and take public transportation to and from the airport, I've finally learned to pack light.

When Lucy came along, I wondered how in the world we would cope with carrying all the equipment a baby seems to need. Friends recommended great products--a portable crib topping the list--but I'm loathe to buy what will only be used on occasion.

How could I justify spending money on something we would only use once or twice a year?

And so we didn't. Instead, my resourceful mother located a business here in town that rents baby equipment for folks just like us! For a mere $80, we were given use of a highchair, crib and car seat for an entire week. While the car seat wasn't as nice as Lu's--it was a bit small for her--the crib is so much nicer than hers at home I was instantly jealous and the highchair has wheels--great for those times we dine outside. Best of all, a rep from the rental shop came to the house and set it all up! My mom only had to point her to the right room.

Next time you're packing up and heading out, I recommend running a quick search on area rentals--anything to lighten the load!

Comments

[J]

Wow, thanks for the tip. I was wondering how to survive at the grandparent's place over Chri this year when baby will be 3 mo. old.

[J]

Anyway, I just read through the entire blog. Thank you so much for writing your thoughts here, a lot of your ideas echo my own and it's good to have all this information available. I've done my own share of research and find your voice well read and open.

Hope that you'll be posting more soon!

-julie

[Baby Advice]

I have never heard of anything like that! What a great idea, and we do a lot of traveling, so thanks for the tip!

[Scott Lancaster]

Hey

My name is Scott Lancaster from www.diyfather.com we are a global online interactive forum for fathers based in New Zealand.

I was hoping that you might be interested in sharing content, we would link back to your site with your name on our site, and if you wanted to do the same with our site that would be great.

Let me know if this is possible I look forward to hearing from you

My return email is scott@diyfather.com

Regards Scott

[DG Haldeman]

With my first, we took a trip when she was 4-4 1/2 months. It was miserable but it was 16-18 hours each way adn it was to visit my parents so I was miserable which probably didnt help. With this one-our third-we are planning the same trip when she is about one month. Hopefully it goes better.

[Joy]

That's a really cool idea. My sister who lived in South Korea for years, says that no one there buys wedding dresses or tuxes--these are all rented. The same place generally rents the wedding space, reception area and includes the flowers and balloons, etc.

A very cool eco-friendly choice as is the baby equipment rental.

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[Elena]

What a smart idea. I am planning a trip to visit family and have been dreading having to lug our humongo car seat. I will definitely look into this.

Do you have any experience with the new plane seat belts for toddlers and kids?

[Eric]

Thanks of you blog.After reading your blog i know hoe much important to do some search before to go from a trip.

[Paige Green]

I’m always amused by the term “green baby“. Are we raising a whole generation of children with jaundice? :)

But it’s great to see parents really taking the care to make these sorts of decisions. Keep up the great work.

[flower girl dress patterns]

It was nice reading your post. I needed to know such kind of information to update myself. I work in my friend’s boutique of flower girl dresses and also help in the online promotion.

[Flower Girl Dresses]

I am looking for great dresses for my baby , what i want is my child feel happy and comfortable .Different toddler dressees available make me wonder the competition in the market .

[Ergo Baby Carrier]

I really found the ergo baby carriers and baby slings helpful while traveling. No carrying around, just place the young ones comfortably in the carriers and stay close to them!