To travel with a baby and a 3yo to Stansted on my own

[ImYourWomanJonSnow]

Apologies posting here for travel advice but knowing this is the most popular board I need your collective wisdom dearest MNeters.

So I'm coming back home to the UK to Stansted and need to transport myself, my 3yo and 6mo home to the West Country. None of the family will be able to meet us as all are at work or elderly so have to make my own way there. In addition to little ones I will have with me large suitcases, hand luggage, push chair (folds small admittedly) and baby car seat. The difference between getting a taxi to meet us and renting a car is about £100 so I'm thinking driving is probably the best and cheapest thing but how on earth do I get us all with the stuff from arrivals to the sodding "car rental village" that necessitates a shuttle bus transfer. I can put the baby in the carrier and the 3yo can walk while I push the stuff but once I lose the luggage trolley to board the shuttle I'm stuffed.

Is there another way I haven't thought of that won't cost us a bloody fortune or me losing my marbles?

Get the taxi home. Or use the porter service.

Same price for each it seems, more or less. Decide woman!

What is going to make life easiest for you? Work on that basis.

I think you are very brave doing all this on your own. I read your OP and said NOPE. Will need help here!

Best of luck to you, I hope you have a safe and stress free journey home. Focus on getting home and hopefully all will be well.

Taxi from arrivals, best money you'll ever spend especially with the littles. Plus you can dose/entertain the kids in the car instead of having to drive while tired with possibly overtired little ones.

If money not an issue, got for it.

But if it is, seriously don’t stress. I’ve done it before with similar ages and it’s fine. Go slow, ask for help.

Why not store your luggage at the airport. Carry what you can and put that in the car. Drive back to the airport terminal and then move the rest of your luggage back to the car.

Don't know if they are in stansted but easirent have a collect and take you to the car service and their hire is usually very reasonable

I use a meet and greet PM me for their details

I had to travel from & to stansted with a 6 mth and 3 yr old. I took a huge back pack instead of suitcase.
Had a pushchair plus another bag for "stuff" didn't have car seats tho as I could leave them in the car in the car park

Me and DC managed ok. I would say people were NOT cery helpful stansted end...in Dublin it was great.

Just expect the worst then anything is better.

Can you get your hands on a big backpackers back pack?

Haha a clarification from the porter company- it's £125 plus VAT for meet and greet but there is no porter service at this airport. So basically they just escort you around if you're a bit confused.

Wishing I can afford the taxi if I have to but would rather save the money iyswim.

I'm normally fearless travelling with DC, I flew with them both across Europe on my own before when they were 10 weeks old but on this particular occasion I'm feeling inadequate. I just wish I had more hands.

If you borrow a Phil and teds double buggy then you can slide a huge suitcase/car seat into the back seat, put toddler in front, wear baby on back and pull a suitcase too, Hang hand luggage and gubbons off buggy .

My two are three years apart and I don't drive, so I've needed to do this loads with them. My eldest has disabilities too and now at 8 uses a wheelchair sometimes, so still have to travel this way. The key thing is that you get a huge pull along suitcase and put all stuff for you in kids in that, no separating it out into a bag for each of you. It's actually quite easy to pull whilst pushing buggy one you get the hang of it.