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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

What shoes should my little one be wearing?

31 replies

jellybelly22 · 14/06/2023 10:47

Feel silly asking this but dd is 14 months old and not yet walking but she can pull herself up and maybe take a few steps while holding hands. She has pram shoes but they are neither use nor ornament. More often than not she pulls them off and loses one or both.

I went to Clark's to see about some sandals for her but as she isn't walking yet they said she needed 'pre walking' shoes and then 'walking' shoes once she's on her feet. I don't really want to buy expensive shoes twice when she's not even walking yet!

I've ordered her some supermarket sandals but they haven't arrived yet so today she's just gone to nursery in socks!! I feel really bad about it now. But I've nothing else to put her in. She spends most of her time barefoot at home.

Is it really this complicated?! What should be wearing at this stage?

OP posts:
RainbowUtensils · 14/06/2023 10:49

She can just stay barefoot / in socks. Don't put the supermarket sandals on her - she's just learning to walk so it's best that she feels the ground with her feet, and sandals won't give her feet the right support and will get in the way. Barefoot / socks as much as possible, even when she is walking

Greenqueen40 · 14/06/2023 10:50

My children went into clarks pre walkers then proper shoes when walking. Didn't matter about the cost. They measure the feet properly unlike cheap supermarket shoes which is essential while the foot bones are still soft and forming.

LarryStylinson · 14/06/2023 10:51

Clarks cruisers or pre walkers

almostoverthehill · 14/06/2023 10:52

So Clarks recommended pre-walkers, doesn’t that answer the question then ?

some reasonable priced shoes in JL
https://www.johnlewis.com/search?search-term=pre-Walker

Original poster
jellybelly22 · 14/06/2023 10:52

When she's walking I'll absolutely get her some proper walking shoes from Clark's but unfortunately the cost is an issue for us and I can't afford pre walkers too. I don't see the difference to be honest.

The reason I wanted some cheap ones is more for protection to be honest. And I just felt a bit sorry for her at nursery with no shoes on, I don't even know why since she's not yet walking!!

OP posts:
AHelpfulHand · 14/06/2023 10:53

No shoes if they aren’t walking.

my ds didn’t walk until 21 months old and was under a paediatrician for it who was very insistent that no shoes to be worn, until a child can confidently walk.

pram shoes, pre walkers etc are not needed.

supermarket shoes are crap.

barefoot shoes are the best once a child needs shoes.

Original poster
jellybelly22 · 14/06/2023 10:54

Pram shoes and pre Walker shoes seem to look very similar. They are just for aesthetics surely? I got her some cheap sandals because I know at nursery they go outside a lot in this weather and it's more for protection when she's crawling and pulling herself across the ground.

OP posts:
HappyAsASandboy · 14/06/2023 10:57

No shoes for as long as possible.

At nursery she could wear leather slippers to protect her feet a bit but still be able to feel the floor with her soles.

https://www.inchblue.com/uk/category/?gclid=CjwKCAjwyqWkBhBMEiwAp2yUFiddVsbQYaS-FGT9999B7MBpDEw3HDi1DprsVzqja1ofUxbnOpXaBoClSsQAvDBwE

curlywurlylover666 · 14/06/2023 10:58

I didn't put mine in pram shoes or pre walkers until they could actually walk. In the winter they were bundled up in double layer thick socks (if they were out the pram and in the park for example)

Isn't the advice no shoes until walking?

foreverbasil · 14/06/2023 10:58

Pre walker shoes are a bit of a con.
Paediatric physios advise that babies should really be barefoot until they are taking steps ( in most cases) to allow the feet to develop

Reugny · 14/06/2023 11:03

it's more for protection when she's crawling and pulling herself across the ground

She needs no shoes at all.

As she isn't walking you don't realise it is very common for toddlers to take their shoes/shoes and socks off, and walk in socks/in bare feet.

Original poster
jellybelly22 · 14/06/2023 11:05

Thank you this has made me feel a lot better :)

OP posts:
AlltheFs · 14/06/2023 11:06

Barefoot. Nursery had a no shoes inside rule anyway and for outside she didn’t have shoes until she was 18 months (late walker). We went straight for first walkers.

Their feet develop best when left alone as much as possibly. I wouldn’t put cheap shoes on a child learning to stand and walk. The nursery setting should be safe without shoes.

jane1956 · 14/06/2023 11:10

my son was 18 months and not walking so dr said buy shoes to help him walk. I did but as he was a shuffler/crab he just wore out the side of one shoe as it scrapped along the garden.

Mamai90 · 14/06/2023 11:12

She doesn't need shoes until she's actually walking.

My DD skipped the pre walkers because she has bendy ankles so physio recommended she went straight to the walkers.

SBAM · 14/06/2023 11:15

My son had shoes like This before he was walking - just to protect his feet in the garden or at the park. The elasticated ankles meant they stayed on but it stopped his socks getting ruined.

CindersAgain · 14/06/2023 11:15

The pre walkers would be ok for a while if she does start properly walking, if that helps.
But in the meantime, pram shoes are fine if you go to park and she’s on her feet. Presume you mean something like this

https://amzn.to/3JcCGvu

FlounderingFruitcake · 14/06/2023 11:19

They can walk in pre-walkers, you don’t need to replace them the second they start start walking if they still fit. I had a tiny 9 month walker who was in them for ages because nothing else comes in a 2 if you want them properly fitted. But barefoot as much as possible and I’d only put the shoes on if tottering outside.

2bazookas · 14/06/2023 11:24

None at all. Makes her feet grow strong and healthy.

CecilyP · 14/06/2023 11:24

Just buy the pre-walkers as she can still wear them once she is walking unaided. Once she is walking, she won't be walking much outside or going for long hikes, so the pre-walkers will still be fine until she needs to move on to the next size.

Mutabiliss · 14/06/2023 11:25

No shoes until walking - and I think it's six weeks after they start walking too, not immediately. Tbh we were in lockdown when mine started walking so he didn't get shoes for a good few months!

I did put the little soft leather shoes on him that people have posted to protect his feet when we went out. They come in super cute designs too, I miss them!

Houseofpainjumparound · 14/06/2023 11:31

I know what you mean. I worried at nursery about anything on the floor, especially when holding hands to practice walking.

If you have a clarks outlet, or clarks have a sale you can often pick up the pre walkers for £15 or get a measurement from clarks and look on ebay.

The pre walkers are very flexible to help with the foot bending under when a baby goes from floor to standing but hold some structure unlike pram shoes which are just a bit of fabric and offer 0 support

I agree with others though, as much as possible bare foot (i am bare foot myself as much as possible so my feet feel alot better)

but if we ever went out where I thought little one may crawl or support walk I put the pre walkers on.... floors are disgusting and you never know what they may stand on.

Springbuds38 · 14/06/2023 11:37

I got mine a pair of inch blues for nursery when she was taking a few steps but still mostly crawling. Now she’s walking we’ve gone for the obligatory Clark’s shoes and I’ve just ordered her some crocs, though not sure what the fit will be like for her.

Atnilpoe · 14/06/2023 11:38

None. No shoes til they can walk

CurlewKate · 14/06/2023 11:40

She doesn't need shoes at all at this stage-she'll be walking properly very soon and you can get her some shoes then. Bare feet are best for now.