As with many other aspects involved with having a baby, there are many factors to consider when buying baby shoes. It is important to start them off on the right foot, which is why it is a good idea to do your research and look around until you find a good pair for your baby.
Some factors that you may want to keep in mind when searching for shoes for your infant include:
Price. Baby’s feet will be growing a lot over the first few years, so spending a fortune on one pair of shoes is not a good idea. Shoes will need to be replaced every few months, so it is not necessary to spend a great deal of money on one pair of shoes. It is a good idea to check your baby’s foot every month, at least for the first few months, to be sure that the shoe is still a proper fit.
Velcro is so much easier. Laces may look cute, but they will need to be tied and untied many times over. Velcro is easy to do up and is more likely to stay done up. And, often trying to push a baby’s foot into a shoe can be labour intensive at the best of times as they wriggle and curl up their toes. Velcro will allow the shoe to be opened further to make fitting the foot into the shoe a much easier task.
Find shoes that are flexible. Baby needs to be able to learn to balance and use their feet so they need shoes that are soft and that offer flexibility.
Make sure the shoes have good traction. First shoes should have plenty of traction and have a non-stick sole. Make sure that the soles of the shoes are not too thick to avoid causing them to trip.
Remember that it is normal for a baby’s foot to be almost as wide as it is long when they are first beginning to walk, so they will often need wide width shoes. Many shoe companies do not take this into consideration when making baby shoes, so be sure to look for ones that will be fitting comfortably.
In order to see if a shoe fits your infant, let them toddle around the store in the shoes a bit then take them off and look at their feet. Look to see if there are any signs of chafing or rubbing anywhere on the foot. If it appears that the shoes are pinching or look like they are making walking difficult, look for another pair. You should be able to fit your smallest finger between the heel of the shoe and baby’s foot, and you should feel about the width of a thumb at the end of the toes to the end of the shoes.
Buying baby shoes does not need to be a difficult task, but finding a good pair of shoes is essential for your baby to get the best start with walking. Check their shoes often and watch for signs of wear and tear, indicating that the shoes need to be replaced. There will be plenty of obstacles for baby to trip over as they learn to walk, so make sure that their shoes are not causing problems as well.