Did you see all of those cute little Nike, Adidas, Puma, Converse, and other name brand shoes for your baby? They are so cute, looking just like the adult styles, but shrank down to those tiny little sizes to fit our baby. You may think they are great baby walking shoes, offering support, traction, and the cute style. Did you know they could be the worst thing you can do?

Take your baby’s shoes and stockings off and watch their feet as they try to walk. What do you notice? Their feet drag along the floor in a shuffling movement. They curl their toes, and move their feet in odd little directions. You remember the rubber soles on those little Nike shoes? When your baby tries to drag their foot in those, the foot sticks to the floor and does not move. It can easily lead to them falling down instead of taking the step.

While your baby is highly motivated, falling down all the time will slow down their progress in learning to walk. The second thing about those miniature running shoes, they are not very flexible. Your baby tries to curl their toes, twist their feet, and the shoes restrict them. This is why some babies complain when you put shoes on their feet, they feel very confined.

What is the answer to proper baby walking shoes? If you ask your pediatrician he is probably going to tell you to forget about the shoes. A baby learns easily running around in their bare feet. Of course, in the middle of winter, with their little toys scattered on the floor, and other things, we prefer to have their feet in shoes. The second choice your pediatrician would suggest is soft leather soled baby shoes. This is the direction you want to go.

Leather soft soled baby walking shoes are flexible, breathe well, and simulate the sliding ability of skin on the floor. Your baby’s feet will move across the floor in almost the same manner as if they were barefoot. What about the curling toes, and foot movement? With a soft leather shoe, their toes can move, their feet turn, and they have easy freedom of movement. These are the types of shoes your baby likes wearing.

Are you picturing your choices coming down to only those little white leather shoes you see in the store? You can find shoes which look like moccasins, little tennis shoes, and almost any other design you like. You will need to shop a little more and possibly go into some finer baby stores to find more selection, but your baby is going to love the shoes.

The biggest benefit will come in watching your baby continue their progress in learning to walk at the fastest pace possible. One important thing to keep in mind. Buying baby walking shoes does mean you need to get running shoes for yourself, too. Once your baby can walk, they will soon be running, and you will need to run quickly to keep them out of everything. Your adventure in fun is about to accelerate dramatically.