What to look out for when buying first baby or toddler shoes

What you need to look out for when buying first baby or toddler shoes

Do you feel, 'Oh, how cute!' when you see little baby shoes in the shop?  Tiny little sportive or glamour versions of your own shoes?  Well, that's because often enough that's what these baby shoes are - tiny versions of adult shoes!

The thing is that your baby has somewhat different needs than you have for your shoes.  Of course everybody's shoes need to fit and be comfortable but whilst adults sometimes choose to compromise on quality you shouldn't compromise on behalf of your baby.  Fancy flip flops or trendy knee-high boots may well look great but are they appropriate to what your child currently needs? 

So this is what you should be thinking about:
1.   'My baby is crawling, standing up, learning to walk and climbing stairs'.  This means that his or her co-ordination and balance need to be developed.

Let your baby go barefoot!  What better way is there to learn?  Or put non-slip socks on.

2.   'We're in the garden a lot and there are a lot of sharp stones around'.  Or 'our floor tiles are too cold to walk on'.  Babies and toddlers have very delicate skin that needs protecting.


Soft sole leather shoes can protect your child's feet whilst still allowing to 'feel' the ground.  They're also non-slip and will therefore hopefully reduce some of the inevitable toddler topples.

3.   'My toddler has chubby feet, I need extra wide shoes!'  That's normal, many toddlers have wide feet to start off with.

You need shoes that fit snugly to the size of your child's feet and are moulded by his or her individual foot.  There should be room to grow a little!
Soft sole leather shoes allow just this whilst providing the support your toddler needs.

4.   'My little cherub sweats a lot.  He or she is so busy with exploring the world!' 

Well, of course baby feet also sweat so you should get shoes that allow the skin to breathe naturally.   Plastic shoes won't allow any air circulation and even many leather shoes are chemically impregnated so that the natural pores get blocked.
(This is the reason we don't impregnate the leather shoes in our collection - to enable an exchange of air with the environment and your child's foot).

5.   'I can't stop my baby from putting everything in his or her mouth'.

That's inevitable! You'll just have to keep an eye on your baby and check there are no beads or tassles on the shoes that can be pulled off!  If you can, it's also worth checking that the shoe's leather hasn't been processed with chrome or other toxic substances. 
(Which is why we've chosen leather for our shoes that is tanned and processed with chrome-free plant extacts only!)