SIL found a flaw with the Nautilus

SusanMae · May 19, 2008

It leaks. My neice had a blowout diaper in it....and it leaked onto the van seat. Then to wash it....she had to take it apart to get the bottom and back covers off. And it takes over 24 hours to dry. Of course it happened on damp days where she couldn't put it out to dry.

So now she has a towel under the seat that the seat sits on...and I think I'll be following her lead on this one. She's planning on buying another cover, hopefully a girly one, too.

Susan

An Aurora · May 19, 2008

I don't see how this is a flaw.

Every seat I have had does this (MA, Radian, EFTA, RA). I would much prefer that the pee runs out the bottom as opposed to it being absorbed and held by the seat.

I would *not* put a towel under the seat. If we are going on a long drive, or if we are in the car around naptime I put a prefold diaper folded in half in DD1's car seat. That way, if she pees, it doesn't get on the cover (I have had to wash that thing way too many times since she started potty training).

SusanMae · May 19, 2008

It wasn't pee. Graco does approve the use of a towel under the seat. My SIL is the one car that goes through a seat check with her seat correct. The long dry time was a pain in the patoot too---as she needed to use the seat because her teenagers needed to go to work.

I did suggest a piddle pad or a cut down blue pad if she knows that a blow out could be coming.

My neice has PDD and is non-verbal and comprehension is similar to a 12-18 month old...even though that is a big range.

Susan

TerisBoys · May 19, 2008

When Ryan puked in his, I machine washed it (Graco ok's this), spun it an extra cycle and hung it over he shower curtain bar overnight - it was dry by morning.

And I agree - it's a PITB to dis-assemble and clean.

Dillipop · May 19, 2008

I totally feel for her! But it's going to happen in just about any carseat.

My DS puked all over my car- hit the ceiling, seat in front of him and got in his seat, too. It leaked through to the seat under him, though the slots for the harness on his safeguard. And what a pain to clean those slots, as they are a deep, conical design about 2 inches long and thin!

I don't think putting a thin towel under the seat to protect it is such a big deal. Even techs ok a thin towel for seat protection. While I don't worry about the seat itself ruining my seats, I do worry a bit about drinks or bodily fluids doing it. Just make sure the towel she uses is thin.

An Aurora · May 19, 2008

Dillipop said:
I don't think putting a thin towel under the seat to protect it is such a big deal. Even techs ok a thin towel for seat protection. While I don't worry about the seat itself ruining my seats, I do worry a bit about drinks or bodily fluids doing it. Just make sure the towel she uses is thin.

No, "they" don't. In my class we were taught nothing under the seat except a thin shelf liner with leather seats, so that's what I recommend.

joolsplus3 · May 19, 2008

An Aurora said:
No, "they" don't. In my class we were taught nothing under the seat except a thin shelf liner with leather seats, so that's what I recommend.

But Graco recommends you use a towel

SusanMae · May 19, 2008

But even shelf liner is being pushed aside.

Graco SUGGESTS using a thin towel under the seat. I'm quite certain she's not using the thickest towel she could find under the seat...especially knowing what it's intended to catch.

This is her 4th child---and the 3rd seat for this one. The ComfortSport she had was much easier to wash she says. And evidently she never had poo leak through either.

Susan

joolsplus3 · May 19, 2008

I know Britax has those deep wells that tend to catch...er...fluids pretty well

. But my Radian was leaking like crazy on Saturday, I was happy my seats were leather when I pulled it up and found a puddle of puke (ick ick ick!)

Dillipop · May 19, 2008

An Aurora said:
No, "they" don't. In my class we were taught nothing under the seat except a thin shelf liner with leather seats, so that's what I recommend.

Sorry- I didn't mean to generalize.

However, when I searched for thin towel with the search function, I have found numerous techs who have said a thin towel or grippy shelf liner are ok to use under a seat.

Can someone clarify for me whether the rules have now changed and when towels became a no-no?

arly1983 · May 19, 2008

SusanMae said:
I did suggest a piddle pad or a cut down blue pad if she knows that a blow out could be coming.

My neice has PDD and is non-verbal and comprehension is similar to a 12-18 month old...even though that is a big range.

I can commiserate with her in a big way.

I highly recommend the piddle pad. I have three. They are thinner than a prefold and lined with watherproof layer on the back. The interior is some kind of super thin but super absorbant material.

I can take pics if someone wants them.

As for machine washing the nautilus cover, I did it with no problems after an accident and laid in in the sun and it was dry in no time. I am not sure how it would hold up to constant washing though.

lauralou · May 19, 2008

Thin towels are and have been recommended.or the shelf liner.I was told to use a thin hand towel.

carseatcoach · May 19, 2008

I don't remember exactly when the rules changed -- fairly recently -- but it is now taught that towels and shelf liner are not recommended.

joolsplus3 · May 19, 2008

Dillipop said:
Sorry- I didn't mean to generalize.

However, when I searched for thin towel with the search function, I have found numerous techs who have said a thin towel or grippy shelf liner are ok to use under a seat.

Can someone clarify for me whether the rules have now changed and when towels became a no-no?

As long as the seat installs just as tightly with or without a towel or mat, it's fine. There has yet to be any injury statistics showing that someting under the seat is harmful, even :thumbsup: The class is only so long, and it's easier not to confuse new techs with too much critical thinking, so it's easier to just say 'no' and leave it at that. Then they can tell parents 'no' and leave it at that. Remember if you get into too much theory with parents they will shut down and hear you wrong (if you allow a thin towel, they will assume a king sized comforter is perfectly fine...and a 2 by 4...and a phone book.....it can be a slippery slope and we don't want to push anyone onto it

).

But I think here we can explore the reasons 'why' something is ok or not ok...this is like an extension of the tech class...graduate school, really.

carseatcoach · May 19, 2008

I agree that it's good to explore the "whys", and of course it's always the parents' choice to use a towel or not (if I had a blowout-prone kid I might) -- but I also think it's worth clearing up that towels/liner/etc. are no longer recommended, because it's always good to have the current information.

An Aurora · May 19, 2008

chickabiddy said:
I agree that it's good to explore the "whys", and of course it's always the parents' choice to use a towel or not (if I had a blowout-prone kid I might) -- but I also think it's worth clearing up that towels/liner/etc. are no longer recommended, because it's always good to have the current information.

Thanks :thumbsup:

mom2acrew · May 19, 2008

In this case GRACO okays it, so it is OK.

I believe when the curriculum was changed late 07? Yes April is right, the towels were taught to be ok as long as a proper install is achieved first. A cloth diaper between the child and harness would be more concerning than a thin towel under the seat. But we don't need to be nit picky.

An Aurora · May 19, 2008

Yes, if Graco ok's it that is fine

In cases where the manufacturer does not directly give permission, it's not ok. The new curriculum came out April 2007 and it's included in that change. Our instructor went so far as to have a parent take out a seat protector that came with the seat in our class check.

I don't see how a cloth diaper between the child and the seat is any different than a cloth diaper under child's clothes

. It's actually thinner than a cloth diaper on her bum, because of being folded in thirds it's only in half

ETA: Oh, I will concede that yes having a prefold under her bum is not approved and could void my warranty, but I am comfortable using it

murphydog77 · May 19, 2008

joolsplus3 said:
As long as the seat installs just as tightly with or without a towel or mat, it's fine. There has yet to be any injury statistics showing that someting under the seat is harmful, even :thumbsup: The class is only so long, and it's easier not to confuse new techs with too much critical thinking, so it's easier to just say 'no' and leave it at that. Then they can tell parents 'no' and leave it at that. Remember if you get into too much theory with parents they will shut down and hear you wrong (if you allow a thin towel, they will assume a king sized comforter is perfectly fine...and a 2 by 4...and a phone book.....it can be a slippery slope and we don't want to push anyone onto it ).

But I think here we can explore the reasons 'why' something is ok or not ok...this is like an extension of the tech class...graduate school, really.

:yeahthat:

chickabiddy said:
I don't remember exactly when the rules changed -- fairly recently -- but it is now taught that towels and shelf liner are not recommended.

I think we're really overanalyzing this. For the most part, a single layer of towel isn't going to make a big difference in the installation of a car seat. Most people aren't going to be using a $20 towel (you know, the big fluffy kind) under their car seats to get junked up by their kids' shoes and foodstuffs. They're going to be using the cheapo under $5 kind or whatever's hanging around the house that's been used a ton already and has most of the pile removed from it so it's already flat.

I don't remember how it's taught in the curriculum now about towels/shelf liner because I don't typically teach those sections, but I think it's how the instructor teaches it, not how it's written in the curriculum. In fact, if you run a search on the .pdf version of the manual, you'll find that shelf liner is on the checklist for outfitting an inspection station. It's not a bad word. As long as it doesn't interfere with getting the seat belt tight, it's OK to use.

How do I feel about those seat mats? I personally like the Prince Lionheart seat saver that they *used* to sell--the original one that was about 1/8" rubber and resembled a floor mat. I haven't seen anything else like it--all the other ones are slippery or too stiff or too thick. Do I think they're a PITB to install with? Sure and I haven't installed a seat yet on a mat (that's not mine) because I won't.

SIL found a flaw with the Nautilus

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Senior Community Member

Well-known member

Well-known member

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPS Technician

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPS Technician

Well-known member

New member

New member

Carseat Crankypants

Admin - CPS Technician

Carseat Crankypants

Senior Community Member

Moderator - CPST Instructor

Senior Community Member

Admin - CPST Instructor

Car-Seat.Org Facebook Group

Sponsors

Forum statistics