Seeing your baby’s first steps is one of the happiest moments of a parent. However, babies fall very often in the first few months of walking and injuries may occur as a result. Choosing the right shoe is very important to prevent these injuries and ensure proper development of the foot. Pediatric orthopedics recommend for babies to walk barefoot. In this way, the soles of the feet feel and grasp the ground fully, and the foot bones, which are not yet fully developed, take the appropriate shape. Accordingly, the choice of shoes should be such that the baby’s feet can feel as comfortable as if there are no shoes.
What should be the features of a good first walker shoe?
- It should be easy to put on and take off
- It should not squeeze the foot and ankle, but it should not get off the foot either.
- It should have a soft leather upper and inner surface so that it does not hurt the feet and allows sweat to escape.
It must have a soft, thin, gripping and non-slip sole.
It should be light and durable
Its shape should be suitable for the child’s foot: wide front, narrow heel.
Those worn indoors should be in the shape of booties, with thin, non-slip leather underneath.
There is a wide variety of first step shoes available today. Four of the brands that have these features recommended by the American Podiatric Medical Association and are available in our country are:
Bobux
Robeez
Pediped
Rite of Stride
Dr. Gulben EFES