First shoes?

[felixfelicis1]

My DS has started walking. Not properly but about ten steps or so. At the moment he obviously just walks about barefoot inside but I am just thinking ahead for when he starts walking outside. Does anyone have any advice about where to go for first shoes? What sort of thing should they be wearing at this age/stage (he is nine months)?

Soft soled (leather) are fine outdoos - ok they get wet, but are actually pretty waterproof unless child actually stands in deep puddles. You can use waterproof spray on them if you like anyway. We used www.snugglefeet.com/ - only a tenner a pair, and they last ages even on rough-ish ground. Protect feet well enough and allow totally unrestricted movement and flex. Didn't buy shoes till LO had been walking for around 8 weeks outdoors (at 17 months old) when leather soled shoes had gone a bit crispy from repeated wetting and drying out and when LO wanted to walk on v. rough and potholed (full of puddles) bridlepath!
After that we went for leather trainer style (fully enclosed "first shoes") from Clarks - shoes4kids have them reduced so have only ever bought from them or in shop sales for around £14-£16 a pair (reduced from £24-26) after the initial first fitting at the local independent shoe shop.

I planned to take Gina Fords advice (I don't generally!) and not bother with shoes until DS had been walking for about 6 weeks, apparently this is better for their feet and helps them find their balance. If I had needed shoes for weather related reasons I would have gone for the soft leather ones that gourd mentions.
However, DS saw a physio as he was slow to start walking, and she recommended putting him in firm walking boots that gave a lot of support round the ankle, as DS has very flexible joints. Interestingly, she seemed to think getting feet measured and going for Clarks shoes was a bit unnecessary. She recommended slipping the insole out of potential shoes if possible, to hold against the feet and check size, as it can be a bit hard to tell when they are on the feet.
Obviously the walking boots advice was specific to us, but I thought it was interesting she wasn't really bothered about foot measuring.

DS is just starting to walk. Indoors at home he is barefoot but outdoors & at nursery he has 'crawling shoes'. They're usually £12 in mothercare but I picked up a pair in the sale for £3.50 yesterday.

My DS didn't have shoes until he was walking outside. DD was a winter cruiser so I got her soft leather ones to keep her feet warmer.