My husband and I tried to be reasonable about our baby purchases and limit ourselves to items we felt were absolutely necessary. We waited until after showers and such to start getting items for the baby when I was pregnant. We even managed to collect a lot of used baby items from family - toys, clothes, bouncer seats, high chair, etc. It made it wonderful and in the end there were only some small things and a few large items we purchased on our own.
Among the items we received either as gifts or as hand-me-downs, were pairs and pairs of shoes. Probably about a dozen or so in various sizes. It definitely made the list of items we didn't need to purchase, although, we wouldn't have even if we had not received a single pair. And all those pairs of shoes remained unworn and the new shoes stayed in perfect condition. I apologize to anyone who reads this that either passed on shoes or purchased new ones for our little one.
Why, then would we not have used the shoes we were given? Well, I'll tell you. My husband and I both operate on the theory that babies don't need shoes. Unlike other clothing items, as infants, there is no function or purpose for shoes when the child is carried everywhere. We felt it unnecessary to spend the money on shoes that he'd grow out of in a very short period of time when he didn't even have to have them. Even when they become mildly mobile, as in crawling, shoes don't really serve a purpose. To keep the baby's feet warm in the cold winter, a pair of socks and a blanket performed that job quite nicely. As a fashion statement or to finish off an outfit, there is a mild degree of use for shoes, but even this is not a great idea on a regular basis which I'll explain in a bit.
Many people will say that once a baby starts walking, that is when they will need shoes, and in general, that is what my husband and I agree upon as well, although, we go to an even further extreme. We think that even as walkers, shoes are only needed for outdoors. Any time he is home or indoors, shoes are not necessary.
You can ask any doctor or any expert, for proper walking and posture, you should be barefoot. And that's not just for babies - my yoga instructors are constantly talking about adult misalignment problems because of wearing shoes too much. It is however, vital for kids with growing feet. For proper development, kids should learn to walk barefoot and should continue to be barefoot as often as possible. Aside from that, even wearing shoes before walking can inhibit the growth and development of feet and making it harder for kids to learn to walk and develop properly. I've even heard that wearing shoes can affect them psychologically if they have too much difficulty from the shoes getting in the way as they are learning to walk. If researching, you will also learn that it is best for kids to never wear shoes that have been used. This is because shoes form to your feet. A growing child that wears shoes that have formed to another child's feet will have problems with their own development.
So, what does all this mean? Well for most situations, going barefoot is key. If the baby or toddler needs shoes for going outside, flexible soles that are comprised of leather will protect the feet, but also let your child feel the ground and learn to walk properly instead of inhibiting development. There are many brands out there that facilitate this and have commentary from podiatrists they've worked with to develop their shoes. Always get new shoes, especially if they are structured shoes as these are more likely to mold to feet.
It makes me feel slightly ungrateful to not use the shoes that our munchkin has received, and I do appreciate the generosity of others, but I'd rather he develop correctly. I've been searching for shoes that he can wear, but for now, he's only allowed limited walking outside and walking beautifully otherwise.
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