As soon to be parents, or even new parents, you may be looking forward to stocking up on all of those adorable pairs of tiny newborn shoes, but does your child really need them? The answer may surprise you.
The short answer is no. According to the Huffington Post, babies do not need to start wearing shoes until they are strong walkers. If the weather is harsh and your baby is not walking yet you can put some warm socks and shoes on her feet to protect her from the cold, but otherwise you should wait. When children go barefoot they can feel the ground and balance, which helps them learn to start walking at a younger age. Shoes only impede that process.
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However, there are specially designed pre-walking shoes that your child can wear if your family lives in a colder climate. Pre-walking shoes should be carefully fitted by an expert, and they should be as thin as possible so they create less of a barrier between your child’s feet and the floor.
Once your child has learned to walk and is ready to start wearing shoes it is important that you pick out the right pair. When choosing your baby’s first pair of shoes, it is crucial for you to get the right size. According to Bobux, a toddler’s feet will grow roughly half a size every three months! But that doesn’t mean you should be buying oversized shoes. If the shoes are too large, they can cause your baby to trip and fall – not to mention look like a bit of a clown.
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If your baby has already been walking for a few weeks, you may want to get her first pair of shoes as part of her Christmas present. Read our holiday gift guide for more information on the want, need, wear, read method of choosing Christmas gifts for your children.
The bottom line is this: if your baby is still too little to walk and you just can’t resist those cute little Mary Janes it is okay to buy them, even though science says she doesn’t really need them. Once your little tyke starts trying to walk you’ll want to keep her feet bare, but you can enjoy picking out as many pairs as you like after she can walk on her own. Once she is mobile, you can both don your tennis shoes for some mommy and baby exercise routines! These exercises are a great way for you to stay fit and help your little one establish some healthy habits.
What did your child’s first pair of shoes look like, and how old was he/she when you bought that first pair? Let us know in the comments, and share this article with your friends so we can hear from them too!
