| The old school of thinking for parents was that they | | | | This improves as they grow. |
| thought that the best shoes for their baby or toddler | | | | The sole purpose for putting shoes on your babies |
| was one that was rigid with flat and hard soles. The | | | | feet is for protection only. If you are at home and |
| idea was that the hard flat sole would correct any | | | | indoors there should really not be many reasons for |
| problems with the toddlers feet. The truth is that | | | | your toddler to be wearing shoes. Podiatrists advise |
| these sorts of shoes will actually do more harm than | | | | that wearing baby and toddler shoes should be as |
| good to your babies development and will also make | | | | much like being bare foot as possible, so for this |
| it more difficult for your baby to take those first | | | | reason it is important that you find baby shoes that |
| steps. | | | | are soft, subtle and highly flexible. |
| The best shoes for your baby is actually the ones | | | | When your baby is taking those first steps, wearing |
| God gave him or her, bare feet. Podiatrists (doctors | | | | hard rubber soles will impede on their development, |
| that specialize in feet) from around the world agree | | | | as the toddler is forced to adjust the placement of |
| that babies should be left in bare feet as often as | | | | each step. Studies have shown that toddlers wearing |
| possible in order to promote natural development of | | | | hard sole shoes will stumble and fall more often than |
| muscles and bones. | | | | those toddlers wearing soft sole baby shoes. Children |
| Feet are made up of 26 bones and 35 joints all pulled | | | | wearing soft flexible shoes are able to walk in a |
| together by ligaments. babies feet are highly flexible | | | | much more natural manner than with hard soles. |
| and are padded with fat. Most babies are flat footed | | | | In conclusion, when you are looking for shoes for |
| when they begin to walk or turn their toes inward, | | | | your baby or toddler, it is very important to find |
| because they have not yet developed the muscle | | | | shoes that are soft and flexible. Baby shoes should |
| tone or strength in their ligaments to support them. | | | | not impede on the way your child walks. |