Baby shoes: Protection for tiny feet

Few things are as joyous to parents as seeing their baby walk for the first time. Most babies learn to stand up and walk with wobbly steps on their own, and can walk best when they are barefoot. Allowing them to walk barefoot is certainly a good option when at home. But when you visit places where the ground may not be so forgiving for the infant's feet, having a pair of shoes on the feet is necessary to protect the baby from injuries. Baby shoes come in a number of shapes, sizes, and colors. Some have soft, thin soles, while others sport thick, reinforced soles for walking on particularly rough grounds. Baby shoes come in three main varieties, namely, laced, Velcro, and slip-on, based on the way these are to be worn.

Laced shoes: This type of shoes has laces that need to be tied, and is a nuisance if the tying has to be done repeatedly. Babies can be mischievous enough to play with their laces just to attract Mommy's attention. So, if you buy a pair of laced shoes for your baby, make sure you keep an eye on him/ her so that the baby does not trip over untied laces.

Velcro shoes: These are better than laced shoes in terms of usability, because there are no long laces that a baby can untie. However, Velcro shoes are also easy to take off, and a baby can take the shoes off repeatedly once he/ she figures out how to do it.

Slip-on shoes: These shoes are great because these can be put on quickly and easily when required. These shoes usually have thin, soft soles, and are perfect for babies who have just learned to stand and walk with wobbly steps. The soft soles help babies feel the ground underneath and maintain balance while standing. These are easiest to take off, even by babies, but once they reach the age to understand how to take the shoes off, they usually overgrow these anyway.

Baby shoes can be made of various materials, such as, cloth, leather or plastic. Soft leather is best for babies who have just learned to stand, although they may not particularly like the smell. Plastic shoes are good for babies who have learned how to walk and have good balance. Cloth shoes are most suited for infants who cannot walk yet.

Baby shoes are best for protecting a baby's feet when he/ she learns to walk, but it should always be non-slip to help the baby in maintaining balance. A good non-slip pair of shoes in soft leather is often the best option to keep the little feet happy and comfortable for a long time.