DS just started cruising, walking with baby walker etc, when to buy his his 1st proper shoes?

[ilikeyoursleeves]

Hiya, DS is 16 months and has just started to walk using his push along walker etc, he is very proud of himself! He is in 12-18 month soft shoes but I'm now thinking that maybe we should get him his first pair of 'proper' shoes. Do you think he needs then just now to help with his walking esp on hard floors that are slippy, or are 'cruiser' shoes just a con and should I wait until he is needing the proper outdoor type shoes? Thanks. (oh and if I'm getting them should I get cruiser or walker shoes?)

Personally, I think they are a con and I waited until ds was walking outdoors. We just went straight to walker shoes but chose a style that was quite bendy, iyswim!

I think the advice is to wait until they have been walking independently for about 6 weeks. While they are learning they are better off with bare feet - cruiser shoes are a bit of a con yes!!

I had cruisers for ds once he was walking un-aided but only maybe 10 /20 steps at a time. It was late spring, so he was wanting to be walking outside. TBH, although I know what everyone is saying about them being a conbut they lasted a fair amount of time - 4 months at least, even when he was walking/running, as they were nice and liht for summer but had plenty of support.

I did buy shoes for dd whislt we was crusing indoors. She wore either socks or tights.

Once she could walk unaided and I wanted her to go outside I brought her cruisers but I found they were useless TBH so I brought her first proper pair of shoes after she had been walking about 5 weeks unaided

The only thing was, I found that as soon as DD started cruising etc inside, she wanted to do it outside! Like literally the same day! So even just 1 or 2 wobbly steps hanging onto the sofa also translated as 1 or 2 wobbly steps in the muddy garden! So we got her a pair of these cruiser or pre walker things or what ever you call them, basically just for when she's outside - I whip them off as soon as she gets in mind you.

I have just bought cruiser shoes for the same reason as Caz, he wants to walk outside. They are still v soft and flexible but more substantial than shoo shoes

My DDs had no shoes what so ever of any description until they had been walking unaided at least 6wks.

Putting shoes or socks on teh feet can restrict the development of the foot.

Do you think that cruiser shoes are a good step up (excuse the pun) to wearing harder walking shoes? I'm wondering if it would be a big transistion going from very soft baby shoes to hard big walker ones...

Well, ds went from socks to proper shoes and was unscathed.

DTDs went from barefeet to proper walking shoes.

They fell all over teh place in the shop. It was quite comical - so we go the camcorder out to shoot some of the "pfb first shoes stumbling all over the place" comedy...and they just put them on and walked normally.

DD3's first shoes were "first walkers" I think from clarkes whcih I think are marketed for cruising children...but they have a plastic flexible sole and I felt this was betetr than a full sole. She stayed in these until her feet were too big for them...probably about 2

My son is cruising round the furniture and he's in cruiser shoes from Clarks. This was a necessity as we have wooden floors and he couldn't get any traction in his socks (too cold for no socks). He doesn't wear them when we're in a carpeted place though.

just wanted to stop him from slipping over all the time. If I had the money I'd rip the lot up and replace it with carpet..but it does come in handy when the yoghurt starts flying...

Both my DD's went into 'proper' shoes for outside once they had been walking for a few weeks. They always go barefoot in the house though, even DD1 who is now 3. Shoes are only for outside!

My dd had cruising shoes. She was only a couple of weeks away from walking, she could take a few steps. I have to admit i was very pfb with them, all excited etc.

She grew out of them within 4 weeks though and could have gone without, it was more my want than a real need. Although my dd grew out of shoes so fast when she was one. I am happy that the shoes she has now have lasted a whole 6 months!

So i would say your ds probably doesn't need the shoes but it depends on your real want for them. And if your anything like me, you will be down Clarks this afternoon!

Just keep him in bare feet/ soft shoes as long as you can. He only "needs" shoes if he's going to be walking outside a lot and need protection for his soles. We stuck with the padders until ours were about 18 months even though they started walking at 10 months. Many older people will tell you that their feet will be deformed if you don't get them into shoes, or that they will not learn to walk properly, but this is tosh and can be ignored. Feet are designed to be bare and develop better if they are.