When to buy first shoes?

[LUCIA22]

DD is now 14 months and walking quite well around the house. She has some soft canvas shoes for wearing in the garden but when should i get her into proper shoes. Some people say you should wait until they have been on up on their feet for around 8 weeks to allow their feet to spread and other say that shoes will help them to walk better. They are so expensive that i dont want to rush out and buy them before really necessary. Any advice?

ds2 15mths walking since 10mths
around house just in bobux. Has proper shoes BUT never worn them!
he rarelyvwalks outside and we stick him in wellies

IMHO.

When you have been out somewhere and though "if only she had shoes she could have .....".

That is when you need them. When you first realise that you have missed them.

TBH babies and toddlers should not wear shoes unless necessary. Even now at 25m (or is it 26?) DD£ only wears them outside.

i kept mine in bobux for ages, they should be walking for at least 6-8wks before you put them i shoes, or at least thats what the lady in our independent shoe shop told me (8yrs when ds1 started walking)

anyhow tho its exciting buying their first pair of shoes, it quickly gets expensive and annoying that they grow out of them so dam quick, often they dont even look worn when they grow out of them, so i would leave it as long as possible

dd is 12 mo and has been pushing trolley round fro 8 weeks but is only now beginning to walk handsfree. we've just bought some startrite pre-walkers to protect her feet out and about as she is desperate to try and walk everywhere. but we'll only use them where there is danger of broken glass or other hazards ie pavements etc. She's only had them a day and is still getting used to walking in them. Wherever possible, eg in a playground and certainly indoors and in the garden, she'll still be in bare feet.

Here's my thread from a couple of days ago where i got advice about which shoes and when. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/1012/555510

ps dd has bobux but walking outside she tends to claw her feet and also feet tend to turn in which is why we've gone for something a bit sturdier.

Thanks, thats really useful info. We had intended going to Clarks without really thinking of other options but will definately try an independant store now, I really like the Startrite pre-walkers. Think we will wait a few weeks and let her stay in the soft shoes she has and bare feet when possible.

Keep them in the prewalkers for as long as they fit into them they are so much better for their feet than "proper" shoes yes pass off as shoes and have waterproof soles.

the startrite pre-walkers are lovely. it's quite something going to buy their first pair of shoes!

Although I'd read you should wait until they've been walking for a few wks, we bought DD Clarks cruising shoes when she was just starting to take v first steps but she was a late walker (18 mths) and we found that the shoes really seemed to help her stability.

Also she started walking in December which I think makes a difference. In the summer they can be out in the garden in bare feet.