Confused about crawler / cruiser shoes

[apsie]

My ds is just crawling and pulling himself up to standing. Most of the stuff I've read about shoes / feet is to leave them in bare feet or socks as long as possible and only worry about getting shoes when they're properly walking outdoors. But now I'm confused because a couple of friends with similar aged babies have got them in cruiser shoes, and one friend said the lady in the shop said to keep her baby in the shoes all the time as he was tippy toeing in bare feet and the shoes would help stabilise his ankles and make him stand properly. Also said it was good to get them used to wearing shoes so they weren't shocked by the weight of proper shoes when the time came. Surely this can't be right? As I said I'm confused and would just like some points of view.

My ds didn't have shoes until he had been walking steadily on his own for a couple of weeks. I don't think shoes are needed if not walking properly imo. He was not 'shocked' by shoes and walked in them well.

The Lady in the shop sounds like she just wanted to sell the shoes.

My DD is at that stage and we have a couple of cheap (primark style) shoes that we keep in the nappy bag for the odd occasion she wants to stand up outside but litterally she might wear them for about 10 mins in a week.

Honestly, they are just a rip off and bad for feet

Cruising shoes are just a way for shops to make money. Babies need to feel the floor under their feet to help with their balance, and as they have very soft bones, it gives their feet freedom to grow. They only need shoes when they are confidently walking outside.

I've never heard that they need to be prepared for walking by wearing cruiser/crawler shoes. I've often heard that it's best to keep to socks/bare feet until they are walking.

I put ds in those wee soft leather slippers to keep his socks on (and because they were so damn cute , and I suspect most shoe-wearing that goes on pre-walking is to do with fashion not necessity.

I bought a pair for DS when he was about 11 months basically as a way to keep his socks on when we were out so his feet didn't get too cold (it was the end of his first summer and we were off camping). I think you need them if you are going to spend a lot of time outside (or crawling/crusing round a mucky community centre floor) at the starting-to-stand-up stage, but leave the DC barefoot at home.

I think its a marketing ploy personally. You bub will be fine in socks, or, if you are utside and you want to keep his feet clean/warm/protected from little stones etc, get some of the little soft leather crawling shoes - like Daisy Roots or something.
The clarks cruising shoes are much, much firmer than those - too firm IMHO

You've pretty much confirmed what I thought, but you know how it is when you're presented with what sound like reasonable logical arguments from friends who are pretty clued up usually. I was going with the barefoot / socks thing without question till then.

I'm a bit late on this thread but wondered if I could point you in the direction of www.happylittlesoles.co.uk-'barefoot' shoes that offer protection but not the support and other stuff the High Street shops will have you believe you need (which you don't!!!).

Oh HAHAHA! I've just realised this thread was posted 2 years ago!!! BIT late is an understatement! HA! Must get the hang of this forum thing!!! Sorry!