Do Babies Really Need Shoes?
January 9th, 2009

It is a question you will undoubtedly ask yourself as your baby ages. You may hold your baby all the time, but is it possible that he still needs shoes? It may be, but in order for you to make the proper decision about your baby's footwear you should just make sure you have the proper information.

Though it may be easy to come to a snap decision about your baby's footwear, you have to realize that your baby is constantly growing. He may grow different amounts at different times. As your enters each stage of growth he or she may need different types of footwear. It is certainly acceptable to let your baby go barefoot or just wear socks, but make sure that his feet are covered so that they do not get cold. Certain types of shoe will help keep his feet warm. Soft-soled baby shoes are one type that will help with warmth and with getting your baby used to feeling shoes on his feet. These shoes are often made of flexible cloth that does little more than just add an extra layer of warmth for the feet.

Soft-soled shoes are the most popular for babies who are not yet walking, but it is not as simple as knowing that you want soft soles. There are actually three types of these shoes for babies. You will find that there are soft leather soles, rubber soles, and smooth leather soles. Each type is made for a baby from newborn size all the way up to several months. The reason these types of shoes are so good for the baby is that they are made so that your baby can feel almost barefoot. They are made mainly to protect the baby's feet from the cold and from things like glass and dirt from the ground. Though barefoot is likely the most healthy for your baby most of the time, shoes will probably help when your baby tries to stand or starts crawling.

One great option for baby shoes is moccasins. They are not only soft soled, but actually have very little sole at all. Since they are essentially just leather tied around the foot, these shoes allow your baby to move his foot the way it is naturally supposed to. As he or she learns to crawl and walk, this will allow your child to figure out how the foot is made to move rather than being confined by hard soled shoes.

As your baby matures and becomes more mobile, the shoes you get for him or her will change. As your baby starts to crawl and walk, shoes with a more sturdy sole are much more appropriate. There are a number of types of shoes available this time of year. Style should not be a consideration. Instead, look for a type of shoe that will protect your baby and help him or her walk more easily. Then once your baby is able to walk you need to find a shoe that will support the feet completely.

As your baby matures, you will have to find shoes that are more appropriate to protect the feet as he or she walks across the ground. Between the ages of birth and three, a baby's feet will grow more rapidly than at any other time in his or her life. In fact, your baby will change several sizes of shoe in that time. You child will not have his "mature" feet until he is in his early teens in age. It is important during those first few years that you should always check to make sure that your baby has the right shoes for his or her feet. That means making sure they fit and that you have shoes that are appropriate for the mobility and activity level of your child.

In order to get the right shoes for your baby, it is vital to make sure they fit properly. Shoe size will vary from one manufacturer to another, so try the shoe on your child whenever possible. Many types of baby shoes are made of leather, which is very practical. Leather is not only comfortable, but it keeps moisture out and lets air in. This helps keeps your child's feet cool and dry even in the moistest conditions.

So does your baby need shoes? The answer is really that it depends. Whether or not you choose shoes for your baby will depend on how old your baby is your child's mobility. Make sure you pick out shoes that are appropriate in terms of size and design so that your baby will have proper healthy footwear

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