baby's first shoes

[k8bailey]

When does a baby need their first pair of shoes?

my little girl is 9months old and has been standing since new year and walking around the furniture for a few months, she is just beginning to let go of the furniture and stand alone for a few seconds. She'll also walk if she has something to push.

Should she have proper shoes yet?
I looked in Clarks and they have crawling, cruising and walking shoes, which just confused me!

Also if she should have shoes, do they start at size 2? because they'd be way too big for my tiny girl!

[roomster]

Wel it doesnt sound as though she needs cruisers as she is doing that fine by herself! Id say hang on until shes fully walking and get her measured for her 1st shoes (although im not sure that clarks do walkers at a size 2).

My little one is 12 months and i got him some cruisers when he was crawling (just because!) they really helped him get up and walk with walker etc altough he is not walking alone yet (late crawler)

[redcrx]

how big are her feet?

Dont get her walking shoes until she has been walking unaided for 4 weeks, they are too heavy to learn to walk in.

cruisers are probably best for her if you want shoes for her. Cruising are ok for crawling and walking holding onto furntiture, they are lightweight.

[k8bailey]

she has a pair of pram shoes that are still too big and they're are form Next - 3-6months/size 1

My SIL says that shoes will make her a bit steadier and help her to walk unaided, but I was worried as all the ones I saw were quite hard and heavy. She just needs something with a bit of grip so she doesn't slip over.

....she's quite clumsy anyway so shoes prob won't help lol!

[annie0000]

Other than things to put on their feet in the cold weather to keep them warm, I didn't get my boys shoes until they had been walking properly for a few weeks - then they need them for walking outside but not indoors - it is definitely better for their feet to stay out of shoes as long as you can - despite what clarks will tell you (they want you to buy more shoes, especially early ones that are expensive and last abot 3 weeks!). Once she is walking well, take her and get her feet measured properly - don't go on a Saturday and personally, I would go twice, to two seperate shops as I am not always convinced by some of the staff. When they get a bit older, they use the machine and the kids can also tell you if they are comfy so it is a bit easier, but you want their first shoes to protect not harm their feet. Hopefully her dinky feet will have grown by then.

Both my kids first shoes were size 51/2 and they were only just over the year old then.

[redcrx]

crikey, her feet are weeny, bless. amelias feet are a size 3.5 so she has little cruisers, but Id agree with annie if her feet are that small and just let her get about with no shoes on at home, until her feet are bigger

[k8bailey]

yeah I've been looking at shoe sizes and it seems I'll have to wait because she's sooo small. I'm just keen for her to be able go outside and not be stuck in the pushchair! No doubt I will regret saying this in a couple of months!

Thanks all!

[elaine33]

Children do not need shoes for walking indoors. My children both walked unaided at a year old and did not have shoes until they were almost two and started walking outside. Learning to walk is hard enough for the little ones without having to walk with heavy shoes. Unless you have gravel, tarmac or concrete floors in your house just save your money and leave off buying shoes until your little girl is walking outside.
Crawling, cruising and walking shoes!!!!! can you not see it is just a way of companies to get you to spend money? Children are costly don't waste money on stuff they do not need.

[k8bailey]

yes, I do realise that shops need to sell their products, my daughter has everything she needs not everything that is available. She has been crawling for 4 months - without crawling shoes.

I simply wanted to know at what stage she should have shoes and if there were any available for a baby who is so small. More than 50% of the downstairs of my house has a tiled floor, which is pretty cold and slippery. Also with summer comming up I would like for her to be able to walk around outside, I think she will be walking unaided in the next month or two, but it looks like she won't have shoes anyway as her feet are too small.

[redcrx]

Id get her properly measured next time youre passing a clarkes store. You may find that shes not a size 1.

a quick tip, brantano do clarks shoes and these are often at about half the price of clarks store.

[k8bailey]

thanks red, I think I'll leave it a couple of weeks and see what size she is then! I'll have to have a look in brantanos too.

[annie0000]

hi again k8 - if you get to the pont wher you want to put her down to walk in the park or back garden, then something like these:

http://www.snugglefeet.com/

would be good - probably wouldn't last forever, but would be fine for grass, sand and smooth surfaces to protect her feet.

They are also good if you have smooth floors as abit of grip rather than socks if it is cooler otherwise, bare feet every time rules!

[annie0000]

Also meant to say that my elder son was the same as your wee one at that age - he could also get up to standing from sitting in the middle of the floor with no hand holds and would stand quite happily for many minutes - he still didn't get up the courage to actually walk without holding on to something until he was 1 week past his 1st birthday, so she may not be running away from you for a few months yet, plenty of time to run her feet through the stretching machine!

[Psychick]

Whenever/ whereever you do decide to go for shoes for her, still get her measured at Clarks first, even if you have no intention of buying from there, as they will be able to give you any advice you need and will measure her whole foot, not just the length. I would think it best to have cruisers as they are soft for their delicate feet but sturdy enough to give them that little extra support and will be suitable for walking on grass with when it comes to trips to the park.

I know of two different babies who have come on leaps and bounds since having their cruisers as it gives that extra stability which gives them that little bit more confidence. Im not saying babies need them to be able to start walking, because they dont, but I for one think they are worth the money and glad I got a pair for my 1 year old. She isnt walking alone yet but does stand freely and walk around the furniture. When we go to different groups, they tend to have non carpeted floors and she tends to slip alot so they have come in very handy then. Clarks are also the only shoes that cater for my daughters fat feet! lol

k8, if you feel she needs them and will benefit from them, then get her some :)

[metroshoeslb]

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