Babies First Shoes

Today, we are advised to delay the purchase of babies first shoes for as long as possible and even when we do decide the time is right then not to ask baby to wear them except when he needs extra protection, such as walking outside.

Advice now is that infants and crawling babies should go bare foot as much as possible; socks are okay if they need extra warmth during cold weather. Pediatricians will tell you that barefoot is best as it helps good healthy arches to form and baby’s feet and ankles will be strengthened if they are allowed to walk barefoot.

When baby is standing you can buy one pair of soft soled non walking shoes purely for outside wear. These will give him some protection from toe stubbing as he learns to find his feet and will also offer him extra warmth.

Even when baby is beginning to walk his shoes should be flat and soft soled as they will allow him to feel the ground, preventing him from tripping and thereby encouraging him to walk confidently. Babies first shoes should only be made of leather or cloth as these will allow his feet to breathe. A baby’s feet will sweat far more excessively than an adults and this could cause friction and blistering if the material is not breathable.

By the time baby is between 9 and 18 months old he will be walking confidently and you should be considering the purchase of his first real shoes.

It is possible to buy a foot size chart which will help you to determine or monitor his shoe size but it is generally recommended that your toddler be taken to a good quality shoe shop, specialising in children’s shoes, and have his feet professionally measured and fitted.

If buying without the help of a professional then it is important to check that the length of the shoes are about ½” (1cm) longer than the longest toe. Although baby will out grow his first shoes very quickly it doesn’t help him to have more length than this as it will only cause him to trip and stumble.

Also consider the width of baby’s foot. At this stage his feet will be quite broad and you need to determine whether he needs wide or extra wide fitting. Having room for all round movement is extremely important to development feet so do check.

His shoes need to be flat, without an arch on the inside to encourage him to use his own muscles which will then develop a healthy arch of his own.

Always buy shoes with an enclosed toe to protect his feet.

Any straps need to be given extra fitting care as they can cause blistering. However shoes with laces, buckles or Velcro fastening hold the heel in place and will stop the foot slipping forward which could damage the toes. If the heel of a shoe slips off when your child stands on tiptoe it doesn’t fit.

Lightweight shoes with flat, flexible, non-skid rubber soles are important during the early stages of learning to walk.

Make sure babygros are not restricting toe movement. Do not keep shoes on baby all of the time Plan to replace baby’s shoes regularly during the first few years. Check baby’s feet with a shoe size chart at regular intervals.

Never buy second hand shoes or hand shoes down as they take on the shape of the first owner and will rub and not support vital areas.