Thursday's Child baby travel kit rental could lower cost of holidays

Hannah Wagland was ‘shocked’ when she realised she'd have to splash out £1,200 on a baby travel system - that's a pram - when her seven-month-old son, Henry, was born.

Then, when she and her partner Adam Richardson took Henry on his first foreign holiday in May, she was told it was too heavy to take on her Jet2 flight.

The 33-year-old said it ‘really got on her nerves, having to buy a travel pram’ and couldn’t bring herself to splash out more cash, and wondered whether she could borrow one.

She felt a ‘a bit cheeky’ asking friends, even though she was happy to pay them, then realised a travel pram rental company would save a lot of embarrassment.

She pondered this while she was on holiday, and by the time she got back, she was ready to set up Thursday’s Child, her baby travel equipment rental company, which launched on July 1.

Hannah couldn't take the family's main £1,200 pram set-up on her Jet2 flight (Image: Hannah Wagland)

“I wanted to get it up and running as quickly as possible as it’s already holiday season,” she said.

“Adam and I are super-keen travellers, and we go on as many holidays as we can fit in over the year.  

“It’s quite normal for mums to reuse and share baby equipment, clothes, and toys nowadays.

“So much baby stuff is made of plastics and metal, and it all eventually ends up in landfill.

“If you’re only going to use something a few times, it makes so much more sense for your pocket and for the environment to rent it.

Hannah and Adam don't intend to let Henry's arrival stop them achieving their travel ambitions (Image: Hannah Wagland)

“There’s tonnes you have to buy already when you have your first baby, and that's without buying stuff you’ll only use a handful of times. We filled the spare room before Henry even arrived."

Thursday’s Child’s rentals are all booked online, and distributed by courier, and include travel prams, cots, and baby carriers.

Families living within 10 miles of Sandiway can also get free delivery as either Hannah or Adam can drop items off.

While setting up a new business might not be every new mum’s first choice for their maternity leave, Hannah is managing to fit in a lot of the more conventional stuff too.

She added: “It’s harder than actually being in work nine to five, but it’s lovely.

“Henry and I are still finding time to do lots of classes like swimming and sensory play, and we go to the library often too.

“I’ve managed to develop quite a good mums' network, which has been a real asset setting up the business.

“We’re looking forward to taking Henry to Italy, which is our favourite place, as soon as we can.”