Toddler first shoes

CaraMay

My baby is walking four weeks now, how soon do you buy his first shoes? He won't be walking outside that much yet.

Where did you go? What shoes did you get for the first ones? His feet are big and I think approx size 5.

How Strange

We went to clarks. The shoes cost around €40!!! They're not cheap but it's the one thing I personally wouldn't cut corners on. We found he outgrew the first pair within weeks but after that he stayed in each pair for 3 months or so.

Little My

Get him measured by staff and then they recommend you get them measured every 6-8 weeks. Clarks or Startrite are usually the first shoe brands that I know of anyway.

Get in now and you might still be lucky with the sale... I got first shoes in Clarks last week for £9 down from £35 or something.

Then again, if he's not walking around outside he's better in just socks indoors. Get some slipper socks if you have slippy floors.

pwurple

Mine was walking around 8 weeks before I got her real shoes. She was in prewalkers before that just because it was the summer and we were outside a lot on gravel and other sharp things. The longer you can leave them without them the better for their feet I think.

We got them in clarks, expensive, but their feet and balance are important at that age, so we wanted to get them fitted properly.

Hannibal Smith

*whispers* get them measured in clarkes and buy online...I know it shouldn't be done....but at that age their feet grow so quickly 44 a pop is a lot

Neyite

(Former Startrite-trained children's shoe fitter here )

I would only put shoes on the child if they are going to go walking outside. The bones are still very soft and ill-fitting shoes can cause problems. In the house let them go barefoot or with soft bootees with a grip to them for warmth.

When you are getting them fitted, make sure that the size and width is the same as what was on the measuring. Its not unheard of for shops to try and sell a different width to up their sales.(my old boss was a bugger for this) So if the baby measures say a 5G on a Startrite measuring ruler, dont let them fob you off with a 5E. If you choose another brand like Clarks, measure the foot again in a Clarks measuring ruler as shoes can vary.

A way to double check that the shoe is the correct size, open the shoe up as much as you can and push gently from the heel down into the shoe so the toes tip the toe of the shoe. You should be able to get your index finger (or middle finger if you have smaller hands) between the shoe and the childs heel. This way, they have growth room, and also when they put weight on the foot the foot lengthens slightly. When you cant get your finger behind the heel anymore, its time for new shoes.

Kids will arch their foot when you try and put shoes on them, so it will feel like you are jamming them on, but when you stand them up they cant bunch up their toes so you can check the heel gap once they have put weight on their foot.

Oh, and bring a camera/video. Their little faces are a picture when they try to figure out what on earth is on their feet.

dublinlady

What do you use before shoes? My little ones only 10 months - not walking nor close but trying to stand a lot etc / we have slippy floors and just use socks with grips on them - but find even them very difficult to find! Next have some but sold out in her size in the 3 I've tried! Are there and soft shoes or better gripped socks or something for this stage? I saw pram booties - not sure what they are for! It's v confusing! Obvs she's along way off shoes yet!

How Strange

I used the soft leather booties. There's a few Irish companies sell online or there's a place in the jervis centre that sell their own. I think they sell from their shoemaker shop near Tara station too.

Neyite

DL your best bet is to get them online. This is the first thing google throws up, but the price of them!

Or you could make your own with puffy fabric paint. I think that would be waaay more fun

foodaholic

Penny's do socks with grips, I find them great