Should You Rent Baby Gear When You Travel? Our Honest Experience
Traveling with a baby often feels like moving house for a week.
Before our first trip with Parker, I was convinced we needed to bring everything: the stroller, the playpen, the high chair, the bathtub, the toys... the list seemed endless. But after a few trips, we've learned that packing less can actually make travel easier.
One of the biggest travel hacks we've discovered is renting baby equipment at our destination instead of hauling it through airports, taxis, and hotel lobbies.
Not only does it save luggage space, but it can also make your travel days significantly less stressful.
Here are the baby items we would rent again in a heartbeat.
Packing for a Trip With a Baby
Packing for a trip with a baby can feel overwhelming at first.
Before Parker, packing was simple: a small suitcase, maybe a carry-on, and we were ready to go. Traveling with a baby changes that equation. Suddenly there are diapers, sleep setups, feeding supplies, and a few extra layers “just in case.”
But after a few trips, we realized something helpful: you don’t need to pack everything. You just need to pack the things that make travel days easier and sleep away from home manageable.
Over time we’ve developed a packing rhythm that works well for our family. This post explains how we think about packing for trips with Parker, and what we’ve learned along the way.
👉 If you’re looking for the full checklist we use before every trip, you can find it here: → Our Complete Baby Travel Packing List
Flying With a Baby: Everything We Learned After Multiple Flights
Flying with a baby can feel overwhelming, especially the first time. Between diapers, feedings, naps, and keeping your little one comfortable, it’s easy to overpack or miss the essentials.
We’ve now flown with our son Parker at 5 weeks, 4 months, 6 months, and 7 months, and each trip taught us something new. This guide shares the baby airplane packing list that worked for us, what we actually used on board, and the small strategies that made flying with an infant manageable.
