When should baby start wearing shoes?

[Snowey1223]

Baby is 10 months

just started crawling and is at nursery 2 days a week. Most of the time at home he is in sleepsuits rather than clothes as it’s easier and he pulls off socks etc

whwn should he start wearing shoes? Trainers etc? I thought when he starts walking. At nursery he wears socks and if out and about I have those pram boot things if needed but wondering when shoes are needed? I see some people with trainers on babies?

when they actually need to wear them for outside walking. before then they can hinder walking development as they're chunky and get in the way/also restrict proper foot and toe movement

Hi OP, I work at a nursery and we loveeee when parents have shoes or at least something waterproof that doesn't slide off when crawling!!! Reason being is just for getting out in the garden; if baby has no shoes we either can't take them out, have to constantly pick them up (limits their exploring!) or their little socks and feet get wet!! Doesn't have to be hard sturdy walking shoes but at least something that keeps their feet dry is a godsend ❤️

They shouldn't wear shoes until they are properly walking, it hinders their foot development (so I was told anyway, might be bollocks!!)

Waterproof all in one suit with foot covers does seem useful for outdoor play - why not ask the nursery if they would use this?

When they walk. Some people can be weird about babies in a pram with only socks on though. I've had a few remarks about that. Apparantly it looks poor. We are not poor and I didn't care if my baby looked poor. I refused to buy shoes just to look richer.

https://www.bobux.co.nz/desert-arctic-caramel-1003-000-13

Mine wore this type of thing , basically soft leather socks. Similar for sale on Etsy.

Mine is not walking at 17 months so doesn’t wear shoes yet. We have moccasins for indoors if it’s a bit cold and for the pram and waterproof foot covers for going outdoors at nursery. I intend to buy shoes once confidently walking or if she needs to walk outdoors. Save the money while you can! Baby shoes are expensive and don’t seem beneficial for their development.

Hi OP
Im a physio who’s worked in paediatrics. Shoes too early on a toddler can limit the feedback they get from their feet and the surface they are walking on which can cause them difficulty learning to walk.
I’ve always recommended and done it with my own little girl they only have shoes on when walking outdoors! Obviously pram shoes just for warmth are different and just personal preference x

I have read that the general advice is a) when they are waling outside and b) when they have been walking independently for at least 6 weeks.

Wouldn't their knees still get wet if it is wet out? I don't see how shoes make a difference when they are still crawling. I would only let a baby play on wet ground if I was going to put them into dry clothes afterwards.

We were referred to a consultant when DD was 16 months or so and not walking yet; she had seen him for potential hip issues at birth and they wanted her checked again, in case the not walking was related. He said she was fine and to buy her shoes. We did, and she walked a few days later. So you don't necessarily wait till they're walking.

Trainers on babies is entirely a dolly dressing-up, show-off lifestyle, baby-as-accessory thing. A softer shoe when they start walking is much better for their feet.

You could maybe get pre-walkers if they’re on the cusp and you want protection for their feet whilst practising walking and they like to walk out and about. They don’t need proper shoes until they can actually walk though.

It's irritating when people say not till they're walking independently.
Surely you have to get a standing/cruising baby out at the play ground to let the explore. Their feet would get wet and cold without shoes on. And shoes protect their feet from stones/twigs etc.

doesn't have to be Nike air max, their are plenty of soft, flexible options for babies learning how to walk. I don't get it! Maybe a lot of parents just don't get their kids out of their prams?

This is interesting:

https://www.nct.org.uk/baby-toddler/your-childs-development/12-18-months/when-and-how-select-toddler-shoes

I had mine at the playground crawling but not in the wet. If their feet get wet and cold then so would their knees and hands.

@Pipistrellus
Yes but there's a phase between crawling and walking. When for the majority of the time, they stand, cruise and climb. This goes on for quite some time with some infants.
One of my kids walked independently at 11 months, the other at 19. Both ends of the spectrum but they both wore shoes as soon as they were cruising. They'd get wet otherwise!

I refused to put shoes on DD until she was walking. Which annoyed dsil (she's a nanny and looked after DD mornings) because she wanted her in shoes but I wouldn't until she was at least cruising

I bought her those boots for in the pram and she used to kick them off so I couldn't be arsed with them either

Both mine continued to crawl once cruising and my eldest for over six months after he was walking independently. He was crawling and cruising at six months, walking before a year and still crawling at 18 months when it suited. He would have got wet with or without shoes.

The shoes they do wear ought to be properly width- fitted too. It's going to cost you a fortune, but your DC will not have foot problems in later life. I did.

@Pipistrellus
Yes, but at least with shoes, their feet don't get wet? I'm guessing you must have got your child out of the push chair at some point in those months. Englands a pretty wet place!

Go to a specialist children's shoe shop you want very very soft soled shoes.
Don't be putting trainers etc on it can damage their feet.

We would send DS's to nursery with very soft shoes before they could walk as they would cruise outside. We also used wellies but the incredibly light demur ones from amazon.

I put shoes on my DD way before she started walking at 16 months.

My children are older now so maybe I've forgotten but why does a child who can't walk need shoes? When my children were at that age shoes were usually bought when the child was waking outside.

If I was putting them down on wet ground then they'd need dry trousers after, so I wouldn't be bothered by changing damp socks too. They had shoes once walking well.