car seat protector

[juliansmom]

Anyone have any experience with finding a good one? I looked on the Britax website to see if they sell one as an accessory to their seats but they don't which made me wonder if they are okay to use under a carseat. I won't use one if it isn't but I really want to protect the seats of a new car. I found one at the Target website for a decent price. TIA!

[My3sonsplus1]

<speaks in a low whisper> *IF* they are thin like a thin towel *AND* they don't effect your install (you can correctly install without the protector and then reinstall using the protector and you don't have to loosen the belt at all) you sorta can but the key is the need to pretty much be thin like a thin towel- not those thick plastic or heavy quilted ones.

[juliansmom]

hmmm... can I just use a towel or an old thin swaddling blanket?

[My3sonsplus1]

yes a thin towel or sheet is fine, as long as you have the same install with as without. A "thin towel" for public disclosure is not a sleeping bag or comforter or even a fluffy robe like bath towel. A "thin towel" is like a bed sheet, perhaps flannel tee shirt in thickness, a tea towel... I am sure you get my drift but I have seen people extrapolate thinking a sleeping bag is just fine under a car seat, in a 90's caravan. I don't even understand the logic there. The seat is plastic, it doesn't need to be comfy. If you just need a thin layer to catch crumbs or keep all slightly unsmooth edges from rubbing your seat that is one thing but the seat doesn't need to be comfy :)

[juliansmom]

I was thinking that the seat protector thing had a grippy underside to keep the carseat from sliding but I guess if the carseat is cinched down really tight, it wouldn't slide if it had just a towel underneath. A towel is a easier solution than shopping around for a seat protector for sure!

[My3sonsplus1]

If you are relying on the grippies to help the child carseat grip the vehicle seat you don't have a good install. That is one of the main reasons they are frowned upon. It makes it easy to get a false sense of a good install.

[jellybeanmichelle]

We have a car seat protector under V's seat.
It's very thin. It has a pocket that hangs over the edge into the foot well, and it also came with a generic detachable bag like thing to hold toys or what ever.

[Colleen&Kail]

i got mine at walmart, its a graco brand i beleive it was around $10 and has a puch that hangs just below the seat.

love it!

[khanson]

I bought one from One Step Ahead I think it was for only about $10. I don't use the pocket on it, so that part is pretty useless, but it's saving the leather seat for sure!

[becky]

I have a rubber type seat protector that we got from babies r us which is great. My mom had leather seats so she will only use these. It doesn't affect the install in the slightest and does a hella better job that a towel does which is what we used in her prius when she was up here on vacation

[L'sMommy]

hmmm... can I just use a towel or an old thin swaddling blanket?

We used a seat protector (got it on amazon) that is nice but since it's made of velour as is the Britax car seat covering, my poor baby's back is drenched in sweat if he's in it for too long. If I had known I'd just buy a chuck - these are thin cotton pads that are backed by blue plastic so they're waterproof. They're usually used in hospitals to protect the beds while small bedside procedures are being done. Any local pharmacy that carries medical equipment should carry them. Then you can cut it to your desired size. my sis-in-law used to use one as a changing pad. I prefer washable re-usable things, but this is an alternate that might work for you.