I never actually thought about protecting the matress or anything Lol but i didnt expect my waters to break 5.5hrs before my contractions started!! I was squatting down cleaning a spill off the floor and as i stood up my waters gushed everywhere (i was just glad it wasn't the supermarket or something!!) there was heaps and i put a towel on the car seat when we went to the hospital and it went through but it didnt ruin it at all.