What shoes should a baby wear?

During the very first months after they were born, babies' parents love to pick baby shoes and clothes. After all, it's never too early to be well dressed up. But a choice of shoes (even for adults) should not only be aesthetic. The problem is that unless it is particularly precocious (and we're talking genius-like precocious), your baby boy or girl won't be able to let you know if the shoes she or he is wearing are comfortable or not. A baby's foot should be well taken care of, especially when the first steps are about to happen.

A pair of quality shoes is essential when it comes to picking footwear for your baby. During the first steps, the feet of a baby can be severely tested, they need to put up with the whole body's weight. Therefore, a discomfort, as little as it may be, can lead to serious repercussions. So it's only natural for you to wonder what's best for your baby's feet? 

Baby shoes are not always the solution

It may be weird to read this on a website dedicated to baby shoes, but this is something you must keep in mind: walking barefoot is highly recommended by experts. Leaving a baby's foot "free" will allow the correct development of muscles. There is a reason why humans (as opposed to animals) don't walk at their birth: we need to strengthen our legs and feet before being able to stand. The muscles in the arch of the foot of your little one will only get stronger when your baby will start crawling, climbing and finally walking. The second thing is that just like our hands, our feet help us identify our surroundings. A scratchy doormat or carpet, the hard and cold tiled floor of the kitchen or bathroom, a smooth and warm rug in a bedroom or living room, these sensations, your baby can only learn them if he or she explores the world (your house) barefoot. 

What baby shoes to buy?

As you can imagine, there is no easy answer to that. But you should focus on not hindering your baby's growth. That means avoiding putting tight shoes on your baby's feet. Do not be afraid to go one shoe size up: it won't take long for your little one to match that size, believe us.

So what is a shoe that lets your baby's foot grow? 

Obviously, baby sandals are appropriate to babies as they let the feet breathe and they usually are not too hard on the feet. You should also favor materials such as canvas or cotton as they are more flexible. The toes must have enough room so that they do not overlap under any circumstances, which would cause great discomfort and even ingrown toenails. Velcro fastening baby shoes are interesting to help the child to become autonomous.

A very flexible and thin sole will also contribute to the feet's freedom. Anti-skid baby shoes are usually appreciated by parents as they reduce the risk of falling should you baby try to climb or stand.