Oh Katy brand, some basic questions

[RenoKirbyButtrs]

I am a new mom-to-be trying to get ready to use CD but a little overwhelmed by all the options. I bought on impulse some pocket dipes because they were on sale on amazon. The brand is Oh Katy, which I had never seen mentioned on any MDC threads. Does anyone have experience with these? They seem soft, the covers are all solid colors but very cute, with lots of snaps, so they are supposed to be one-size. Each came with a smaller newborn liner and an "adjustable" liner -- looks to be just a longer liner so you can put a fold in it somewhere to make it fit.

I have about 7 of these. How many actual covers do I need? Do I need to keep buying their liners, or would other things work? I know nothing of what flats and prefolds are like in shape and size. Can you line pocket diapers with them? Can I buy other brands of pockets and use the liners interchangeably?

Thanks in advance for your wisdom. 

[Mom2M]

I had one of these that was really cute but always leaked and it leaked through the cover, not around the edges. I was disappointed but maybe they have improved since then.
I also have fuzzibunz and never had that happen. I would think you could use other inserts in them also.
If you want to stay with those or with pocket diapers, you would need a lot more. When my babies were newborn, they went through 12 diapers a day. I actually use prefolds all the time and mostly started using them because they were much less expensive. I bought 2 dozen prefolds and 6 Thirsties covers and did wash every other day or so.
I liked prefolds so much, (even though I thought they would be harder, they weren't), that I continued to use them and have never had a leak as long as I use Thirsties covers. imse vimse or lite wraps. I have occasionally had leaks with a couple of other brands.
I also love wool covers but they are expensive.
Since I had fuzzibunz, I use them at night. I find that with their regular insert and a doubler, she's still mostly dry in the morning and they don't leak. I now use them with wool pants on top at night and that's even better because as she got older, I guess around 18 months, even though nothing was actually wet feeling, she smelled like pee and the sheet did too. The wool took care of that and the liner is still almost dry against her skin.
I remember being so overwhelmed when I first looked into cloth but it turned out to be much easier and better than disposables!
Congratulations!

[MommyLibrarian]

I have heard of Oh Katy!, but have not used them. They just changed the name.  The older versions where called Katydids. 

To avoid typing a long response.  There are tons of great blogs and websites about buying, washing, and using cloth diapers.

I really like http://www.29diapers.com/

Diaper Jungle (http://www.diaperjungle.com/detergent-chart.html) has some really good information about different brands of laundry detergent and help with troubleshooting washing issues.

Good luck.

[RenoKirbyButtrs]

Thanks, Mamas. Mom2M, I think pockets appealed to me because they seem so straightforward. Maybe because they are the most like disposables, which are all I have experience with since I've only diapered other people's babies! But I will look into prefolds. I would like to save some money on this adventure, and I figured we would need quite a few and it adds up at $15-$20 per diaper. 

MommyLibrarian, Katydids sounds much more familiar. And thank you for the washing links! I haven't even BEGUN to think of that yet, wow!

[kesrya]

I have two of the Oh Katy brand because they were the only pocket that came in my husband's football team color, and I wanted my son to be dressed up for the Sunday games.  As someone said above, they are not very dependable (leaks - and leaks through the actual cover, not just around the legs).  If this had been my first exposure to cloth diapering, I might have given up.  Luckily, though I had been using bumgenius pockets, and prefolds for several months prior to the Oh Katy, so I knew better.  My BG pockets never leak.  They are the perfect pocket diaper.  The only complaint I have is that the inserts have to be stripped every few months because they get an ammonia smell to them -- but that is typical for all microfiber inserts (oh katy are microfiber also), which all pocket diapers come with as a standard insert.  I ordered a bunch of Hemp Baby inserts -- they are much thinner (less bulk), highly absorbant and don't have the problem that the microfiber inserts have.  They fit in any pocket style diaper.

That all being said about pocket diapers, I completely agree with those who have recommended prefolds over pockets.  I thought I would like pockets or all-in-ones better than prefolds, and both my husband and I like the prefolds best.  In fact, that's all we use at home -- we save the pockets for our diaper bag because they are easier to use when you are out and about.  But prefolds are cheaper and, in my opinion, better quality ... again, never any leaks, highly absorbant, never any smell, easy to clean, never any diaper rash.  And unlike one size pockets -- which really don't fit until the baby is over 10 lbs. (our boy was born at 8.12 and he couldn't use his pockets until 11lbs), the prefolds can be adjusted to fit right away.  We started with a pack of Bummis organic cotton prefolds and covers in the newborn size, and when he outgrew the covers, we bought 12 Econobums covers and prefolds.  He's now 11 months, 22 lbs. and still using the Bummis and Econobum prefolds inside the Econobum covers.  If you need something inexpensive that will last you through the baby's entire diapering life, I recommend prefolds.

[sassyfirechick]

I received some Mother-ease one size and covers, and a few prefolds with bummis newborn covers as a shower gift.  The prefolds were great for the first few weeks when the one size were just too bulky, and while they never "leaked" through the covers, they did make a messs around the edges so I wasn't able to use the cover for more than one diaper change.  Absolutely LOVE my mother-ease one size!  I bought a whole stash after playing with them. The snaps are great for friends and family that want to watch her but are not exactly CD savvy, and we've never had a blowout! :-)  I bought a few very cute bummis covers (some in largers sizes bc of the way the one size fold over and take more room inside the cover right now) and I also use the mother-ease covers.