Renting baby gear handy, economical

It’s the dilemma every traveling parent faces: What gear must you schlep on the plane and what can you live without?

Strollers, high chairs, car seats and cribs, not to mention toys, clothing and food, can make traveling with little ones back-breaking. But entrepreneurs are stepping up and allowing parents to pack light.

For a fee, vacationers can rent all the essentials – even toys – for their little explorers. Two companies dominate the market, though their growth suggests there’s room for more.

Baby’s Away (www.babysaway.com), which has affiliates in more than 70 locations nationwide, charges $12 a day for a full-size crib or $6 a day for an Exersaucer.

The Traveling Baby Company (www.thetravelingbabyco.com), which operates in several states, charges $8 a day for a car seat or $18 for a high-end Bugaboo stroller.

A baby bathtub, a pail of beach toys, a monitor or that nursing pillow you forgot to pack – it’s all available for rent.

Jody Alperin takes advantage of the service whenever she visits her parents’ vacation home in Panama City, Fla.

“Your kids are already in a strange place, so if they can at least sleep in the same kind of bed, great,” says Alperin, 32, who has a 3-year-old and a 5-month-old. “Anything you can do to make it more comfortable is worth it.”

She says she’s rented full-size cribs, portable Pack ‘n’ Plays, high chairs and strollers.

“It’s not astronomical – for the convenience,” she says.

While it may sound extravagant, to some, it can actually be cost-effective.

Avis, for instance, charges $10 a day for a car seat. Continental Airline socks passengers with an $80-a-bag fee for luggage beyond two free items – so bringing your own could be more expensive than renting at the other end.

The convenience can be almost priceless for parents dragging tots and heavy suitcases.

“When people go on vacation, they don’t want to bring anything,” says Renee Feld, a representative for Baby’s Away.