SHOES on babies

[AaliyahsFirstXmas]

DD (11months) has been walking while holding onto your hands for a while now. Today she's started walking while holding onto one hand so now that we've reached this milestone and can see how happy she is we want to be able to take her around the supermarket and allow her to walk for parts here and there - she's been doing it round the livin room all day BUT i've heard conflicting stories about shoes.

A book has said shoes will stunt her development and someone has told me shoes will help her balance. SO......

1 - Should I get her some shoes
2 - what type
3 - Is it worth shelling out in clarkes to make sure I get the right fit?

Thanks all.

Oh also - when I've looked for crawling shoes (cos she carpetburns the tops of her feet) I can't get them to fit (tesco's)

She doesn't seem to lower her heels so it seems like the shoe is miles off her feet.

Will she be ok with fabric bottoms though if we're gonna take her walking around the supermarket or things like that?

If she isn't walking properly (ie on her own) then she doesn't need shoes. I really can't understand why you'd want her to walk in Tescos at this time of year

I put my DD in bobux before she was walking independently bobux

IMHO:

• yes, I think you need something for when they are walking in public places otherwise they gte filthy. Stick to bare feet/ grippy socks indoors though.

• I bought some flexible soled "crawling shoes" from Clarks

• I did for DD1, didn't occur to me not to get her properly measured etc. Now DD2 is wearing DD1's first shoes without being measured. Not sure what conclusion I reach from that

cat - its just cos she HATES sitting in the trolly and is way too heavy to carry while pushing the trolly.

I honestly dont know of any other way to keep her happy and now she's doing this it seemed like the perfect way of making her happy.

I dont mind being told I sholdn't by the way as I honestly have no idea about these things. I'm quite happy for her to stay in socks for now. Only thing is everyone at babyclub (around her age give or take a couple of months) are wearing shoes so I was worried I was behind or something.

go for very soft leather shoo shoos etc. There is no real need until she is atleast tottering unaided but would hold offuntil she can walk completely.Believe me you willspend a fortune in clarks in the future.

hmm

If she is walking anywhere that she might need protecting against sharp things, then I'd shell out for clarkes

would be more keen to spend the money in clarkes now, tbh, than in a few years.

If possible though I'd keep her in soft shoes for as long as possible.

I suspect that those leather shoes (inch blue, shoo shoo etc) offer enough protection for a supermarket while letting her feet move around enough.

I think both my older two went into proper shoes when they started walking outside but both times, that was the summer, so more complex. I do think it was about 11 months each time.

We have these for DD who sounds similar to yours, cruising everywhere, toddles holding hands and hates being carried/in lap.

We got a few pairs of these so she gets used to wearing shoes and we have some red patent mary janes from Gap that are so cute but very soft soled.

I had this with my DS (the not lowering his heel bit) and found it impossible to get him measured and fitted. I'd go with Inchblues or something (snugglefeet are the same but cheaper) which are good for first steps (but no good outside in the wet)

Right ok so getting her some soft shoes seems the best option but maybe not "clarkes" prices till she's tottering alone?

There isn't a link to shoes helping balance then? - thats fine, as I said I honestly dont know [dumb moment]

I'll wander around Tescos etc during on our time outside

Gah, I type too slowly!

"There isn't a link to shoes helping balance then"

No- I don't see how they would really.

And babies need to balance for themselves.

lol you have been reading what to expect the first year, yes? I read that and tore a piece out of the clueless clarkes lady who suggested boots for my pfb

I adore the wee daisy roots/bobux soft leather shoes. Lots of very cute ones out there.

Filly - you caught me!! hahaha

DD only started to crawl at 12 months. Got her soft crawling shoes at this point from Clark. A friend of mine got more rigid shoes for her dd and he started walking in them straightaway as she thinks they gave him a more secure feelng.

One thing I would definitely recommend is NOT to buy shoes which fasten with velcro - babies will have them off in a flash.

Thanks for this.

Will nose around tomorrow for some crawling/cruising shoes then and not worry so much

extremelychocolately (nice name btw) wish someone had said that to me about velcro. Have had to retrace steps on several occasions due to a flung shoe from the buggy.

I learnt from bitter experience spicemonster - £15 wasted on really cute little shoes because of the velcro. Dd - now 15 months - is constantly trying to take off her shoes which fasten conventionally.

There are few things more aggravating IMO (tho I'm sure others will disagree) than being in a really busy supermarket and suddenly coming across doting parents letting their PFB toddle around the aisles. If I've got a trolley I can't see the child and a basket is the right height to hit them on the head. People in a supermarket are generally busy looking at the shelves and just don't see somebody under 2 foot tall. It's dangerous. And the supermarkets are uber-busy ATM most of the time.

hmmm - didn't think of that tbh... ok back to the drawing board for ideas on how to satisfy a baby/toddler during the shop!! haha

If you goosle snuggle feet you'll find sof leathr shoes for about eight quid. Very cute and equally good as shoo shoos etc.

Shoes do NOT help a baby to balance. They need to feel the floor with their bare feet to really get to grips with walking. Shoes before they are really walking for long periods are outside are not only a waste of money but can be damaging too. Another vote here for Bobux - they are fab. We have the tigers - DS loves his and roars at them

Also, can I just be the voice of dissent here and say that I detest Clarks! Rather than paying to get a decent fit, I think you're paying to get fobbed off! All they want to do is sell you a pair of shoes, they couldn't care less whether they fit properly or not. They are staffed by 12 year olds and you get measured differently each time! DD has alternately been told that she has very wide feet, very narrow feet, average feet, all by different staff within a few days of each other. She was finally measured at a 10G and the assistant brought out an 11F because "that was all we had in stock, but I'm sure they'll be ok" Also there is no decent growth room at all in Clarks shoes - they're designed to get you to buy a new pair every few months. When we used to buy Clarks shoes we had to buy a pair about every 2-3 months, now we buy them from a local independent shop and only ever need one pair a year. Boo hiss to Clarks - never again, I say!

Anyway, I actually just came onto this topic to ask another question about shoes so forgive my little Clarks rant