There are porters in the baggage claim at DCA. I saw them yesterday. But I don't think they will go to your car, just to the curb. There are also luggage carts for $5 that you can push to the parking lot. I'd do a cart but you might be able to get a porter to wait with your stuff at the curb while you go get the car. I assume your car is in the daily lot and not in the economy lot?

this thread reminded me of this scene at union station, Untouchables...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRJ539f5Ugc

get a backpack to stick purse and diaper bag inside. Hopefully your diaper bag is not that big. Or, ditch the diaper bag and put contents inside of backpack.

Ps I would totally drive you to your car if my own would accommodate a large suitcase, since I have a baby seat in my car and work nearby. Traveling with children stinks!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consolidate your bags. Purse goes in diaper bag, retrieve stroller from gate check. Baby goes in stroller, diaper bag under stroller or on your shoulder. When you get your checked bag, open it, jam diaper bag inside, close it. Push stroller with one hand and pull suitcase with the other. Done.

Yes, this. It will be tough, OP, but you CAN do it! And I am willing to bet that someone will see you and offer to help.

Yes, I've done this - it was years ago.

On a more recent trip I had my two kids and our 4 checked bags while DH got the car. I just needed to make it to the curb (on kid could sort of help, the other not so much) and this nice man with a shoulder duffle grabbed two of my checked bags and walked them to the curb for me.

Ok here - by abandon bag I mean don't pick it up from baggage claim - don't leave randomly in Airport bc that could cause a major airport melt down!

Here's what I would do - I would ship the huge bag FedEx ground or Ups ground - it prob won't be much more than the checked luggage fee and will make it so much easier.
If not that - there are always porters hanging around baggage claim when I land on American Airlines at dca. I never use them but if you do tell them you'll tip them super well for taking you all the way to your car in the garage (they live on tips only - no salary). We often rent a cart at baggage claim to transport crap to car. Put baby in carrier on your chest and pile the rest of the crap on the cart. If all else fails - you could take as much as you can to the car and then abandon your bag and come back and get it from the lost luggage people!

I would just plan on taking it slow.

If a luggage cart does not work, possibly go to car and drop off diaper bag, carry on etc. Leave everything in the trunk so you are not exposing yourself to getting things stolen.

Go back with the baby, wallet, keys and bag check and get the large piece of luggage.

Another option - do you have a friend who can meet you at the airport? When are you arriving? This is a job college students would absolutely help out with.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Consolidate your bags. Purse goes in diaper bag, retrieve stroller from gate check. Baby goes in stroller, diaper bag under stroller or on your shoulder. When you get your checked bag, open it, jam diaper bag inside, close it. Push stroller with one hand and pull suitcase with the other. Done.

Yes, this. It will be tough, OP, but you CAN do it! And I am willing to bet that someone will see you and offer to help.

Thanks for the encouragement, and thanks to everyone for all the good suggestions. Even if I have to push the stroller five feet/stop/pull bag five feet/repeat, I'll make it work.

Anonymous wrote:Consolidate your bags. Purse goes in diaper bag, retrieve stroller from gate check. Baby goes in stroller, diaper bag under stroller or on your shoulder. When you get your checked bag, open it, jam diaper bag inside, close it. Push stroller with one hand and pull suitcase with the other. Done.

Yes, this. It will be tough, OP, but you CAN do it! And I am willing to bet that someone will see you and offer to help.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So what about your husband? Why can't he meet you?

How about answering the question or keeping mum if you have nothing to add?

How about you shut your trap and stop being a dick. Nowhere did OP say her husband wasn't available. The answer was responding to the question.

Well, that escalated quickly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See if you can leave the checked bag with an attendant. Maybe someone at lost and found. Make one trip to the vehicle. Return, retrieve the luggage and go back to the vehicle.

I thought about this, but it's the large bag and stroller I can't move together at once. Maybe someone will be willing to wait with the bag by the curb while I get the car and come for the bag...

I would say no if you asked me. A stranger asking me to watch a bag while they walk away with their baby out into parking? No. I'd watch your bag while we're sitting by the gate and you need to change a poo diaper if we're on the same flight. That's different.

Like the Seinfeld episode where a guy asks Costanza to watch his bags and disappears.

Consolidate your bags. Purse goes in diaper bag, retrieve stroller from gate check. Baby goes in stroller, diaper bag under stroller or on your shoulder. When you get your checked bag, open it, jam diaper bag inside, close it. Push stroller with one hand and pull suitcase with the other. Done.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:See if you can leave the checked bag with an attendant. Maybe someone at lost and found. Make one trip to the vehicle. Return, retrieve the luggage and go back to the vehicle.

I thought about this, but it's the large bag and stroller I can't move together at once. Maybe someone will be willing to wait with the bag by the curb while I get the car and come for the bag...

I would say no if you asked me. A stranger asking me to watch a bag while they walk away with their baby out into parking? No. I'd watch your bag while we're sitting by the gate and you need to change a poo diaper if we're on the same flight. That's different.

I would think someone from the airline would help - failing that I'm sure a fellow passenger would if you asked? I would, in that situation!

You could possibly manage it yourself though, depending how sturdy/easy to steer your stroller is and how far you have to go? I have hung the diaper bag off the stroller handle, had my bag cross body and dragged a case on wheels behind me while pushing the stroller before.