“When do I buy shoes for my baby?”

The first years of a child’s life can be tumultuous for a parent, and even more so when you finding yourself asking, “How do I know when to buy shoes for my baby?” There’s so much to learn about parenting and raising children that it can be overwhelming. 

You’re so overloaded with health information and safety precautions for this and that, that a little thing like their first pair of shoes often gets overlooked. Many times parents will make a wrong turn when it comes to introducing their child to shoes, and that can lead to some pretty big problems down the road.

Thankfully there’s a lot of information out there on pre walking shoes and walking shoes that you can take advantage of. Let’s take a look at some factors that come into play when buying your child their first pair of shoes, and how you can avoid botching the whole process.

1. Don’t Start Shoes Too Early

   

The first thing you need to know about buying shoes for your baby is that your baby doesn’t need shoes until they can walk. Well, not real ones anyway. Of course, cushioned things like booties, slippers, and soft-soled shoes are perfectly fine and should be used in situations where your baby’s feet are going to be exposed to cold air. But, hard-soled shoes for an infant can be detrimental to their growth.

If your baby gets used to wearing hard-soled shoes all day, it can really have a negative impact on their walking schedule. A baby’s feet need to be able to touch the ground barefoot, and they need to learn how to balance their own weight without any obstacles like shoes in the way. If you want to avoid stunting their development, wait until they get the hang of walking before you get them a real pair of shoes.

2. Pick the Right Shoes

Not just any old pair of shoes will do. For instance, you’ll want to go with either Velcro or laces for their first pair. Laces are great to learn on, and they aren’t so easy to get off. Velcro is great for times when you need to get up and go, but laces are definitely better for keeping shoes on!

You’ll also want to make sure the material of the shoes is lightweight and breathable. Bend the soles to see if they have good grip and are flexible. Rubber nonskid soles will give your child the best amount of traction. Don’t be afraid to let your child walk around for awhile in a pair before you buy them either. You can identify ill-fitting shoes by the marks they leave on your child’s feet after a few dozen strides.

If it is summer time then sandals are a great option. There is  plenty of choice for the first 6 months of walking and through the toddler years. A covered in toe and sturdy velcro straps are recommended. Flip flops with a back strap offer your child no protection or support and should be avoided.

And so the baby shoe answer is simple

For parents, buying that first pair of shoes shouldn’t be a situation where guesswork is involved. Wait until they start walking to get them a well-fitting pair with good traction, that are flexible and breathable as well.

Remember that forcing hard-soled shoes on your child before they can walk will likely stunt their development when it comes to taking those first steps. Also, keep in mind that a child’s first pair of shoes should be a fun learning experience and not an everyday hassle.

All these tips together should make the question of “when to buy shoes for my baby?” a very easy one to answer!