Shoes to support ankles?

[Natsku]

Took Maria to the baby clinic yesterday and the nurse told me that as she was starting to walk, I need to buy her shoes to support her ankles. Is that true? I thought it was supposed to be best that they walk barefoot as much as possible to begin with She doesn't really walk outside at the moment cos its so muddy, and the few times she has I've just put her in some waterproof soft booties but should I be getting shoes/winter boots instead?

 

[Neko]

My mother tells me that too. If my mother says it, it's old advice.

Avery has shoes for when we go out, it's awfully cold here now. But she really hates walking in them.

 

[minties]

I have never heard of that before? Thomas started to walk 6 days ago and he goes barefoot everywhere. I am sure his ankles are fine and dandy.

I don't even wear shoes unless I have to.

 

[Natsku]

I thought it might be old advice but OH wasn't sure so thought I better ask.

 

[Natsku]

Also yay for Thomas walking! I bet he's super cute when walking

 

[2016]

Although Stewart is not yet walking unaided, we bought him shoes a couple of weeks ago on paed advice....however in his case he had positional talipese where his feet were severely bent inwards at birth (much better now after some physio). The shoes help hold them a bit straighter otherwise he would tend to stand on the side of his foot.

...not sure about needing to support ankles though!

 

[Neko]

Babies should be barefoot, they grip with their toes. Avery doesn't wear shoes/socks around the house, usually she doesn't wear pants either. lol

 

[minties]

I bet Maria is super cute too! You had a video up I remember, but I couldn't see it, I kept getting an error.

I would never put boots on a baby/toddler, I actually think it would be bad for them, and would make their ankles weaker.

 

[Natsku]

Although Stewart is not yet walking unaided, we bought him shoes a couple of weeks ago on paed advice....however in his case he had positional talipese where his feet were severely bent inwards at birth (much better now after some physio). The shoes help hold them a bit straighter otherwise he would tend to stand on the side of his foot.

...not sure about needing to support ankles though!

OH had that when he was born, had to wear leg braces. Physio sounds like much better treatment!

@Neko - that sounds right to me, I use toes to grip when I'm barefoot and its def easier to walk barefoot. Must just be silly old fashioned advice, nevermind, the nurse was nice otherwise Maria takes her trousers off too

 

[Neko]

Good to know I don't have the only pantless baby walking around.

 

[Natsku]

I bet Maria is super cute too! You had a video up I remember, but I couldn't see it, I kept getting an error.

I would never put boots on a baby/toddler, I actually think it would be bad for them, and would make their ankles weaker.

She is pretty cute, she likes to carry things around while walking, seems to help her balance. And she's getting really good now, can walk over small steps now.

That makes sense to me. We worried cos OH has bad ankles

 

[taylor197878]

I have not heard off it brooke has just started walking too she just walks in her bare feet,

I have bought her boots to walk outside she loves to walk holding my hand

 

[2016]

Although Stewart is not yet walking unaided, we bought him shoes a couple of weeks ago on paed advice....however in his case he had positional talipese where his feet were severely bent inwards at birth (much better now after some physio). The shoes help hold them a bit straighter otherwise he would tend to stand on the side of his foot.

...not sure about needing to support ankles though!

OH had that when he was born, had to wear leg braces. Physio sounds like much better treatment!

@Neko - that sounds right to me, I use toes to grip when I'm barefoot and its def easier to walk barefoot. Must just be silly old fashioned advice, nevermind, the nurse was nice otherwise Maria takes her trousers off too

I thought the braces were for club foot? I would have had it if LO had to wear a brace It looked very extreme when he was born but their muscles/joints are so soft at that age it's still easy to bend things back the right way.

 

[Natsku]

Although Stewart is not yet walking unaided, we bought him shoes a couple of weeks ago on paed advice....however in his case he had positional talipese where his feet were severely bent inwards at birth (much better now after some physio). The shoes help hold them a bit straighter otherwise he would tend to stand on the side of his foot.

...not sure about needing to support ankles though!

OH had that when he was born, had to wear leg braces. Physio sounds like much better treatment!

@Neko - that sounds right to me, I use toes to grip when I'm barefoot and its def easier to walk barefoot. Must just be silly old fashioned advice, nevermind, the nurse was nice otherwise Maria takes her trousers off too

I thought the braces were for club foot? I would have had it if LO had to wear a brace It looked very extreme when he was born but their muscles/joints are so soft at that age it's still easy to bend things back the right way.

Oh maybe it was club foot then, I can't remember which is which.
Glad his feet are getting better

 

[TattiesMum]

Talipes and club foot are the same thing Talipes is just the proper name for it and the commonly used term these days.

I don't know about it being old advice though ... My Mother's generation (ie most of your generations grandparents )didn't believe in putting any shoes on children until they were walking confidently and even then only when they were outside.

I'm wondering whether the nurse didn't mean something along the same lines though ... that when you bought shoes for Maria to walk outside in then they should have good ankle support. That doesn't necessarily mean boots though - if you look at quality first shoes (eg Clarks/Startrite etc here in the UK) they have a slightly padded 'cuff' that fits right up to the lower edge of the ankle which helps to both support the ankle on rougher ground (pavements/grass etc) and to encourage LO to walk with their feet flat rather than turned when wearing shoes

Cheaper, fashion type, shoes and trainers don't necessarily have this ... they are often manufactured to look cute rather than engineered to provide proper support for growing feet and encouragement to walk correctly.

 

[Natsku]

Ah that clears it up!

I'm not entirely sure what she said to be honest, she was speaking Finnish so I didn't understand fully, maybe she meant that, to get shoes that provide proper support. But she did ask if I had got her shoes yet and I said no and she said to get some.

Will need to get boots though cos of the snow.

 

[kerrie24]

When Owen started walking I took him to clarkes and they wouldnt sell me shoes untill he had been confident for 6-8 weeks.As he was a size 5.5 (at 11 months) he couldnt get the cruising shoes either so had to wait 8 weeks for a pair of shoes,in the meantime he wore soft leather pram shoes,even outside.

 

[TattiesMum]

When Owen started walking I took him to clarkes and they wouldnt sell me shoes untill he had been confident for 6-8 weeks.As he was a size 5.5 (at 11 months) he couldnt get the cruising shoes either so had to wait 8 weeks for a pair of shoes,in the meantime he wore soft leather pram shoes,even outside.

I always got my own kids shoes (and now get my Grandson's) from Clarks' headquarters as my Dad lives in the same town. There they are less rigid in sticking to their guidelines than high street shops, so will sell you them once LO is walking on their own (ie not cruising), regardless of how long they have been doing it for, especially if you tell them that LO is walking outside

The size thing is another reason why I always go down there too - my eldest was walking at 11 months and only took a size 3, which I simply couldn't get anywhere else

 

[patch2006uk]

When Owen started walking I took him to clarkes and they wouldnt sell me shoes untill he had been confident for 6-8 weeks.As he was a size 5.5 (at 11 months) he couldnt get the cruising shoes either so had to wait 8 weeks for a pair of shoes,in the meantime he wore soft leather pram shoes,even outside.

They said to me and a friend of mine that LO has to be taking at least 6-8 steps confidently before they'll be fitted for walking shoes. My LO has cruisers now, but he's got tiny feet, so I'm not sure whether the clarks shoes will fit him

 

[Natsku]

Thats a point, I have no idea where they measure babies feets for shoes here. I guess I'll just have to ask at every shoe shop. I bet she has tiny feet though, she seems so small.