What age can babies start wearing shoes?

Question

I have always heard that it is best for babies when they start walking to learn barefoot. What do you think about babies wearing sneakers? Is it good for them or bad, or does it not matter?

Answer 1

There are two reasons for babies to wear shoes- 1) to keep their feet warm and dry in the winter or 2) to protect their feet from rocks/ glass outside. When babies are learning to walk, it's best that they go barefoot because of the tendency to curl their toes inside their shoes when they walk, which can lead to poor foot development, but sometimes the protection that shoes offer outweigh the potential trouble.
So... put shoes on your baby if you must, but make sure they have lots of safe barefoot time, too.

Answer 2

babies can wear shoes from any age but its pretty pontless to put shoes on a new born. Ababy will start to crawl at around 9 months and soon after begin standing, at about 12-14 months a baby will start to walk and this would be the best time to put them in shoes. Well fitted baby shoes whch tend to be far softer and more suble than those made for older children are best just go to a decent shop that has a childrens department where your baby;s feet can be measured properly and be aware that their feet grow rapidly so shoes will not last long and need to fit properly so not to damage their delecate feet

Answer 3

Until a baby starts walking, there's really no need for shoes. Sure they're cute and you can buy ones to match different outfits, but infant shoes provide no arch support for their feet. Fluffy socks are softer and warmer. :)

With my older son, we didn't buy him shoes until he was walking well on his own (a little over a year old). My younger son just turned a year last weekend, and we haven't bought him shoes yet. It'll be a long time until he's able to walk outside, so we're just going to let him go barefoot for now.

It's hard enough for babies to walk on their own two feet, much less with clunky, bulky shoes on. Let your baby learn to walk well without falling much, then buy him/her shoes.

Answer 4

umm baby shoes are super cute, i have seen tons of babies with shoes or booties at the Young age of 3 months. i think that since they are gonna be walking in shoes for the rest of their lives it's nice to start off with shoes, so they can get used to it.

Answer 5

I never put my kids into shoes until they were ready to walk outdoors (we don't have a backyard, but that isn't "outdoors" in the same way). I was told by podiatrists that that is what is best for the baby's foot development--no *anything* on the feet until they are walking on hard surfaces outside; before that only one-piece pajamas (and similar) that come down over the feet, no socks or shoes or booties.

Answer 6

I think its personal choice. I never bought shoes for my babies until they started walking. And even then, I only used shoes for outside or baby pictures. I think barefoot is better too.

Answer 7

When a baby starts to crawl Stride Rite shoes are the best. The help with traction. Regular sneakers are not good for their feet because they have little or no support.

Answer 8

i heard the same thing as you did about waiting until after they walk. my son started wearing shoes when he was about a month old. but he was also born when it was cold out so his little feet needed to be warm. i don't think it hurt anything. he walks just fine now. he started at about 11 months. so it is all up toyou.

Answer 9

I think its up to you i put shoes on all my children from a young age so that they were used to having something on their feet even if it was only booties anything as long as they are not to small or too heavy is fine.

Answer 10

I don't know my nephew wore shoes from the time they could find shoes small enough to fit him, except in the house and then he only wore socks