Tiny Shoes

[mandymummy]

My DD is 9 months and trying her hardest to walk. She pulls herself up and cruises and is really into standing up and (with help) walking. Her feet are tiny and she wants to try to walk outside as well as in, so we want to buy shoes that will withstand a bit of rain and much wear and tear, she is in little leather shoes with suede bottoms and they get wet through and are nearly worn through. We tried clarks but her feet are too small, we also tried mothercare but they only had pram shoes in her size. Does anyone know where i can get tiny shoes with soles suitable for outside?

I went to an independant shoe shop in Bath if you're anywhere near there.

I would just get another pair of leather shoes and know they will get ruined
or cruisers

Naturino and other European makes do prewalkers which have rubber soles or mini trainers. dd was an 18 in her first ones (Ricosta Pepino). tbh she should n't have shoes until she can walk freely fr abotu 6 weeks as her boens need flexibility to spread as they adapt to take her weight more.

When dd1 was first walking we got some crawling shoes from Start Rite as they were all that would fit her.

my dd is doing the sam eand it didn't occur to me to buy her any shoes - she is mostly barefoot or in her leather shoes if its cold (same age)

Thanks scootergrrl, but i'm in london, not bath....

LIZS - i have not heard of naturino, any idea who retails them online or in london? I know she shouldn't have proper shoes just now but to be honest she wants to be upright so much that i think it's safer for her to wear them when outside on rough pavement and playground surfaces especially when its wet, but obviously in moderation. we are also about to camp for a weekend and i am worried about wet feet if it rains and the ground is wet under foot.

ProfYaffle - crawling shoes? wow, the shop assistant didn't say anything about those, they sound good. i can feel a return trip coming up. great name by the way!!!

hana - my dd is mostly bare foot too, the shoes are about having wet feet and living in east london which isn't the cleanest place to be soaking up water through shoe soles, but maybe you are right!

If you want something waterproof, what about something like these thermal booties from Muddy Puddles?

Or their toddler boots - they start at size 18 - 19, which is the equivalent of size 2 - 3.

mY ds had some little soft rubber soled boots in size 18 from an independant shoe shop...the make was Elefanten...italian i think. V. v. cute!

There must be plenty of such places inLondon town if i managed to get some oop norf!!

Try John Lewis, Daisy and Tom , Russell and Bronley or any independent kids shoe shop (the sort listed in the back of Junior!)

elefanten are now UMI and not as good imho , a German brand

My dd had crwling shoes, then cruising shoes but i struggled to get cruisers to fit as she also has small feet, she now has walking shoes as she walks outside and although she not walking solo i wouldnt want her walking on tarmac with soft soled shoes aand she walks more than she in the pushchair!
Went to clarks for mine, cruisers are more supportive whilst they going round furntiture etc stops stubbing toes!

wigwambam, they look cool! wow, how fabulous, what a great idea! i don't know muddy puddles at all, thank you!

yes thehairybabysmum and LIZS that reminds me - must shop more but no time to go into town - dd not really into shopping (fair enough) and can't face the saturday crowds when daddy could look after her......

wishingforgotone i am starting to think the person who served me in clarks didn't know what they sold! will ask about cruisers....

... off to look at the muddy puddles website.....

DD has tiny feet and the smallest proper shoes we could get we're size 3 (from clarks).

What about beach shoes? ive seen them in mothercare in small sizes, they have ruber soles.

Clarks start at size 2.5, dd1 had small feet and had clarks smallest size.

I would'nt put a 9 month old baby in any shoes to be honist as her feet are still to tiny for hard shoes, i bought dd2 her first pair of clarks at 12 months (she started walking at 9 months), they cost a fortune and she only wore them 3 times before they were too small, she's 15 months now and has a pair of doodles but only wears them if the weather is cold (to keep her socks on)

I wouldn't bother with shoes - mine wore those leather bootees (can't remember what they are called. They had a couple of pairs and I changed them if they got too wet. They really shouldn't have proper shoes until they've been walking for about 6 weeks.

Apparantly the nerves in their feet are still very undeveloped and they can get damaged without them feeling any pain (so she shoe shop man told me) so you do need to vbe very careful.

hello mandymummy, i'm in east london too. i agree with posters who say dno't get shoes yet, the bootee thingies will solve the wet problem and the leather shoes will provide enough protection.

BUT, when the time comes, do go to this rather naffly named but v good shop.

thanks for all the ideas and words of warning, much appreciated.

will think more...

fishie - thanks for the link - yes, shame about the name....