Written by Femke Harris
When you’re preparing to welcome a new child, the list of things you’re told you need can feel never-ending. A buggy. A bouncer. A next-to-me cot. A breast pump. A baby bath. And that’s before you’ve even started on the smaller stuff.
Most parents do one of two things: they buy everything new, or they spend weeks trawling second-hand marketplaces hoping to piece together a collection of kit they can trust. Both options have their merits. But there’s a third option that many families simply don’t know exists – and for adoptive parents in particular, it can be a genuinely brilliant fit.
Renting.
So, before you reach for your credit card or start scrolling second-hand listings, it’s worth knowing that renting baby and toddler equipment is a genuinely viable option – and for many families, a better one. Renting means you only pay for the time you actually need a piece of kit, and when that phase is over, it’s simply collected. No selling, no storing, no outgrown bouncer taking up half the living room.
Equipment from a reputable rental service is also checked and maintained between uses, which removes the uncertainty that can come with buying second-hand – particularly relevant when you’re welcoming a child who deserves nothing but the best from the start.
This blog post looks at how renting your baby and toddler equipment works and the main advantages for you and the environment.
Why rental makes sense
I started Merry Go Round Club because I kept seeing the same thing happen to families around me. They’d spend thousands of pounds on equipment, use it for a matter of months, and then be left with a house full of stuff they didn’t know what to do with. The buggy in the hall. The bouncer in the corner. The breast pump in a bag at the back of the kitchen cupboard.
Baby equipment has a surprisingly short useful life. A next-to-me cot is typically needed for around six months. A newborn bouncer might hold a child’s interest for three or four months before they’re ready to move on. Even buggies – often one of the biggest single purchases a family makes – may not suit a child forever as their needs and your lifestyle evolve.
Renting means you pay for the window you actually need, and nothing more. When you’re done, it’s collected. No selling, no storing, no guilt about the money spent on something gathering dust.
The savings can be significant. Renting key items rather than buying them new can save families typically 70% of the cost of buying new. This equates to hundreds of pounds over the first year – without any compromise on quality. For families who have often faced considerable costs as they prepare to adopt, that’s not a small thing.
The flexibility factor
For adoptive parents specifically, I think rental offers something that goes beyond cost: flexibility.
When you’re preparing for a placement, there’s often real uncertainty. You may not know the exact age of your child until close to the time. A toddler and a young baby need very different kits – different buggies, different sleep setups, different equipment altogether. Buying everything in advance can feel like a gamble. And buying in a rush, once a placement is confirmed, can be stressful and expensive.
Renting makes it easier to respond to what you actually need, when you need it, rather than having to predict the future. If something doesn’t work for your child, it can be swapped. If your needs change, the rental can change with them. That kind of adaptability is genuinely useful when you’re navigating a process that rarely goes exactly to plan.
With adoption, you don’t always know in advance exactly what age or stage your child will be at when they arrive – and renting means you can respond to what you need rather than having to guess.
At Merry Go Round Club, we offer monthly and short-term rentals of the products families rely on most in the early years: buggies, bouncers, baby baths, carriers, and next-to-me cots, with delivery and collection included as standard. Each of those covers a specific window of need, which makes them a natural fit for a rental model, and a much lighter lift than buying everything outright.
What about buying second-hand?
Second-hand equipment is an appealing idea – and there are great finds out there. But it comes with uncertainties that are worth thinking about.
Safety standards for baby equipment are updated regularly. A cot or buggy that met guidelines when it was first sold may not meet them now. Without a full history, it’s hard to know whether equipment has been in an accident, stored badly, or simply worn in ways that aren’t immediately visible.
Renting from a reputable service means equipment is checked, maintained, and sourced carefully. You know what you’re getting – and that peace of mind matters, particularly when you’re welcoming a child who has perhaps already experienced enough uncertainty.
Renting your baby kit: Less clutter, less confusion
Two things nobody tells you enough about before you have a child: how much stuff accumulates, and how overwhelming the baby product market is.
The sheer volume of equipment that comes with early parenthood catches most families off guard. Renting means that when a phase is over, the equipment leaves. The house doesn’t gradually fill with outgrown items waiting to be dealt with.
And the baby product market – particularly for parents who haven’t been immersed in it throughout a pregnancy – can feel completely bewildering. There’s enormous pressure to buy everything, buy it immediately, and buy it new. Rental sidesteps a lot of that noise. You get what you need, for the stage you’re at, without having to navigate an industry designed to sell you as much as possible.
The Kind Initiative
When I set up Merry Go Round Club, I knew from the beginning that I wanted it to be about more than a transaction.
The Kind Initiative is something we are looking to grow to support families who are navigating early parenthood in genuinely difficult circumstances. Whether that’s financial hardship, a crisis situation, or simply a need that falls outside the usual routes, we are looking to build out help, regardless of the circumstances.
We are looking at a mechanism where existing customers can look to “pay it forward” so that kit is made available for someone who needs it. Working with local organisations up and down the country, who can contact us to ensure that certain families who need support the most, shouldn’t be the ones who go without.
I think adoptive families understand better than most what it means to walk a path that wasn’t designed with you in mind. The Kind Initiative exists because every family – however they got here – deserves a decent start.
Rental won’t be right for everyone, and it isn’t the only answer. But for families approaching parenthood with uncertainty, time pressure, or a desire to do things a little differently, it’s an option worth knowing about. And if you do look into it, I hope it makes things just a little bit easier.
Femke is the founder of Merry Go Round Club, a UK-based baby equipment rental service. Find out more from Merry Go Round’s website.
FAQs about renting baby kit
Renting your baby kit means hiring essential items—such as buggies, cots, and bouncers – for a set period instead of buying them. You simply choose what you need, use it for as long as required, and return it when you’re done, making it a flexible and hassle-free alternative to purchasing.
Yes, renting your baby kit can be much more cost-effective than buying new. Many baby products are only used for a few months, so renting can help you to save up to 70% by only paying for the time you actually need each item.
Renting your baby kit from a reputable provider ensures that all equipment is safety-checked, cleaned, and maintained between uses. This often provides greater peace of mind than buying second-hand, where the product’s history may be unknown.
Renting your baby kit is particularly helpful for adoptive parents, as it offers flexibility during an uncertain time. Since you may not know your child’s exact age or needs in advance, renting allows you to choose the right equipment when the time comes—and swap items if needed.
Renting helps keep your home clutter-free by removing items once they’re no longer needed. It’s also a more sustainable choice, as equipment is reused across multiple families instead of being discarded after a short period of use.
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