Is 9mo too early to have DD fitted for 'proper' shoes?

[ChestnutsREASTIEingOnTheFire]

I'm clueless here . All I know is DD is pulling herself up on everything, cruising around the furniture, trying to stand balancing completely unaided for a few seconds at a time as often as possible and loves her push along walker and if I hold her hands and walk with her. She already crawls btw.

I'm tempted to get her a pair of proper shoes fitted as increasingly when we are out and about she wants to get down and stand up holding on to my legs for support or just walk along for a bit outside if I hold her hands. I want to take her to our local independent shoe shop to be fitted properly as I know how important a proper fit can be. I'm not sure if I'm being way too pfb and early about it though. Any advice?

Reastie Can you believe how far they've come?! It sounds like A is doing really well.

Anyway, you don't need to buy any shoes for her until she's going to walk outside. Some places sell 'cruising' shoes but it's much better for their development to walk without shoes for now. DD1 just had soft shoes/thick socks and I used to let her toddle around on the grass if it was dry (this was late summer/autumn so not too cold). She didn't have 'proper' shoes until she'd been walking unaided for at least a couple of months.

It's up to you, it is a big milestone getting their first shoes but there's no need to rush. Your DD will be fine indoors with no shoes. You could buy her socks with those sticky bits on the bottom if you're worried about her slipping on the floor.

Most good shoe shops won't fit and sell proper walking shoes if the child can't walk unaided, as rigid soles are not ideal. They need to feel the floor under them to develop balance and good foot position.

I got cruisers first for DS which have nice soft soles. He was on his feet a lot at that point, cruising around and using walker but not walking unaided, and it meant that I could put him down on his feet outside rather than having to lift him all the time. We used mainly in the garden / park and at nursery.

But I agree that for indoors grippy socks might be better?

Or something like this.

Clarks sell cruiser shoes or how about inch blue? Warm but soft!

DS is at the same stage as your DD and as we have wooden floors he is slipping in socks. I've bought him some Moccis - socks with suede soles - which are fantastic :)

Wait until she's walking unaided.

Dd got hers at 11 months after ahe'd been walking unaided for a few weeks.

I'd just add to what the others have said about good shoe shops not selling proper shoes to children unless they can walk unaided, that when I went to get my unbelievably tiny DD2 her first shoes at 10 months when she had been walking for a couple of weeks they clearly didn't believe me that she could walk and actually asked to see her do it!! Of course she refused to comply and flopped amoeba like on the floor, leaving me feeling very foolish and frustrated and the shop assistant clearly thinking I was a pfb type. Anyway thankfully something suddenly caught her eye and she jumped up and ran across the shop so she got her shoes (when they eventually found some small enough to fit her!).

I would suggest that for now you get those soft leather baby shoes - all my 3 wore those outside and at playgroups etc when cruising (and wore just socks in the house).

Thanks all, sorry to post and run there

I should have added we have these shoes for indoors that she sometimes wears and that I won't get dd to wear 'proper' shoes inside at all, it would just be for when we are outdoors and she wants to walk holding hands.

But thank you all - you've persuaded me to leave it a bit longer although I might look into these cruising shoes you speak of and see if they will do the job until she walks properly.

Good to 'see' you. Hope all is well. They grow up so fast don't they

joy to your genius child walking so early

reastie I second the cruisers. R has a pair for nursery so she can practice her toddling when they play outside. Hers are Clarks.