From Baby Booties to Baby Shoes - Types of Typical Baby Footwear

By Clif Johnson

Many experts claim that foot wear is not important for infants. However, many mothers say otherwise. This makes baby booties an essential part of an infant's first set of clothes. Baby booties are usually part of a layette-the common name for the first set of clothes infants wear-and are usually soft soled. They offer protection (especially for babies who are starting crawl and learn how to walk) and warmth (since babies get chilled easily). In a sense, they function like shoes. However, baby booties are more suited for babies since they are made to fit the unique shape of their feet. The feet of babies are square-shaped, unlike the rectangular-shape of the regular developed adult feet. Therefore, very few shoes would fit them perfectly, and forcing them to wear regularly shaped shoes might hinder them from learning how to walk. This makes baby booties the most practical footwear for babies.

Baby booties are made from different materials, although most of them are made from cotton, felt, yarn, and other fabrics. Any material is ideal as long as it provides enough protection and it would not irritate the baby's feet. Therefore, parents usually give their babies knitted baby booties, since they are soft, easy to wash, and often hypoallergenic. Knitted booties are also cheap, making it the ideal baby's footwear. Babies outgrow their clothes at a very fast rate. Therefore, parents should give their babies inexpensive but effective footwear, since they are bound to their children baby booties more than once.

Some booties are made from much harder material. While there is nothing wrong with materials such as leather, parents have to make sure that the said footwear would not irritate their children, since babies are still very sensitive.

Of course, babies will have to stop wearing baby booties once they start learning how to walk. Baby booties offer minimal protection from hazards, so regular shoes that offer more protection in the sole is needed. Parents will have to consider buying regular shoes once they start walking a few steps. However, making them wear shoes too soon might prevent them from learning how to walk. The baby's first shoes should still have a soft enough sole to prevent possible injuries such as cuts or blisters but strong enough to protect the sole from any foreign materials on the floor. It is best to buy shoes that can be easily removed, especially when the child is too young to remove his own shoes. Therefore, using shoes with laces is advisable; parents should buy their children Velcro shoes or slip-ons instead.

Footwear is often about what the babies need during a particular time. Their clothes-footwear included-can be a factor in their growth, so parents should choose them wisely.

Clifton Johnson is a freelance writer and product selector for the online retailer http://www.childclothingoutlet.com/

He's written for a variety of news providers reviewing products, emerging markets, and parenting. Some of the products mentioned in this article are available there. He's 26 and lives in New England.

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