Should my baby wear shoes?
Should my baby wear shoes?
We have all been there. You are standing there in the baby section at the store, looking at those cute baby booties, picturing your little one wearing them while you show them off to family and friends.
Shoes genuinely make a difference when added alongside an adorable outfit. BUT--in reality--they are entirely unnecessary at such an early stage of life. Before falling for the cuteness overload, consider the consequences of forcing shoes onto your baby’s still-developing feet.
Shoes serve a purpose. They keep our feet protected from rough terrain as we walk, especially outdoors. When your baby is not walking yet, there is no benefit to keeping them in shoes. What’s worse is if the boots are not flexible and roomy, they can restrict your baby’s natural foot movement and growth.
The best alternative to shoes is allowing your baby to go barefoot, and there are several benefits to this:
- It helps to develop the arch in their feet
- Contributes to forming good posture
- Helps to advance motor skills and development
- More likely to prevent infections
- Improvement of balance and coordination
One more thing to consider is the physical connection between your baby and the outside world. Touch is a solid sensory, even in the feet. Although the norm is to wear shoes constantly, the restriction in your baby’s feet development from the very beginning will inevitably affect their growth later on.
As always, contact your pediatrician with questions and concerns you may have regarding shoes for your baby.
