Shoes for a `just walking' 12 month old, hard or soft soled????

[sweetsugardumplin']

My DD (nearly 12 months old) has been walking for about four weeks now :eek:

Anyway, she is currently wearing soft leather shoes but is outgrowing them.

My MIL strongly believes that she should be wearing hard soled shoes with arch support but I think not.

I still think she needs to be wearing soft soled shoes.

Any advice please?!

[Tam-I-Am]

Soft soled shoes for the first 3 - 4 months after walking, or they can become 'pidgeon-toed' - ie, because they can't feel the surface that they're walking on, the dig in to their shoe with their toes and it can cause foot malformations and difficulties in years to come.

I'd just get another pair (or 2) of soft-soled shoes, and tell your MIL to lump it if she doesn't like it :p

[Roxy]

I'd go for another set of the soft leather ones (Baby Paws etc) - little feet that are still learning to walk don't need to be confined to hard soled shoes....

[sweetsugardumplin']

Thanks Tam-I-Am and Roxy, I knew I was on the right track. Tam, great advice about the 3-4 month period.

Thanks again :hugs:

[FiveInTheBed]

:iagree:...and clarks have a great range of 'first walkers' that are really really soft rubber soled shoes - so cute and offer a bit more protection for venturing feet!
their feet bones are still mostly cartilage until about 18 months - so don't put any arch support or hard soles on until after that.

[sam's mum]

I go for the no shoes option. If we are at a park or somewhere that it isn't safe to be barefoot, we carry DD2, otherwise she is barefoot. We just bought her a pair of shoes last week (she was walking at 8 months :dizzy:) and she hasn't worn them yet.

[pixiemum2]

Indoors - soft soled. Outdoors - hard soled

then again if its summer and warm I don't put any shoes on my children indoors

[xkwzit]

It is better to have them in soft soled for a few months, as their feet will change shape as they get used to bearing their weight more and more often.

Tell your MIL to mind her own beeswax :D.

[sweetsugardumplin']

I will be sure to tell my MIL to lump it and to mind her own beeswax :yes:

[Cordelia]

bare foot is best when at all possible.

[Jeclipse]

I think crocs are awesome for lil walkers, when they are getting the hang of walking, especially in shoes.

Plus they have great support :thumbsup:

[UmmInayah]

I don't know much about Crocs.. But are they actually "held" on your foot? Or are they like slip-ons?

I worry if they are like slip-ons, bub would be trying to keep them on their feet by curling their toes?

[sweetsugardumplin']

I agree, bare foot is best :yes:

But we spend a lot of time at the park, and I just don't trust people and the cr@p they throw on the ground (glass, etc)

As for Crocs, I wouldn't recommend them for little ones. They cannot be adjusted in regard to laces or velcro straps, and often ch'n would need to claw their toes to keep the shoes on.

Thanks for all your ideas :)