From the first days, the baby's shoes were replaced by warm socks or a kind of soft booties. The first signal that it's time to think about real shoes, is a hard stand on the legs, and the desire of the baby, somewhere to run. Usually it takes up to a year, before this time, doctors do not recommend shoeing the baby, except there are cases when the pathology of the foot is detected, and it is necessary to direct the formation in the right direction.
So let's talk about how to choose shoes for an infant, and on what to pay attention to parents.
With what to begin.
Coming to a modern shoe store, we often face a difficult choice. After all, around the shelf, from the top to the bottom, are made up of various models of children's shoes, and it seems that it is simply impossible to choose shoes for a baby. But there are several rules that should be followed.
Initially, following such an important purchase, forget about all the fashion trends, styles and novelties. Your child's shoes must first of all be comfortable, practical and not harm his foot, and only then beautiful and stylish. Ossification of the pedicel reaches only at the age of six, and the choice of the wrong footwear will contribute to the corresponding incorrect formation of the foot, which subsequently becomes the root cause of many diseases.
The first shoes for the baby should be chosen so that it is not tight, but it was not large in size with the obligatory presence of a backdrop. Shoes should be well kept on the foot and do not hamper the movements of the crumbs. Even when choosing your home shoes, you should follow these rules. Therefore, any kind of slap is excluded, since it is inconvenient for crumbs, and also prevents the correct formation of the leg, allowing the heel to turn to one side. Just worry that the feet of the baby in the new chosen shoes were protected from mechanical damages, provided a favorable microclimate, and that it corresponded to physiological and anatomical needs and characteristics.
Note that the sole of the shoe is soft, flexible and elastic. Such a sole will allow your child to be shod with walking, to make the same movements as when walking barefoot. An important fact is the presence of a small heel shoes. It is this heel that will serve to artificially raise the arch of the foot, while increasing the spring properties. Also, the presence of a heel will increase the wear resistance of shoes, and protect the heel from bruises. Do not buy shoes or shoes with a narrowed toe. Shoes for the baby should be with a wide and finger-wide toe to prevent deformation of the fingers, and to maintain better stability of the foot, due to the increase in the area of the sole. The presence of an orthopedic insole in the shoes is mandatory only if you received the doctor's advice. If the baby's leg is healthy, just the instep is enough. The arch supports looks like a small tubercle on the inner edge of the sole. Its presence helps to lift the longitudinal arch of the foot and promotes the correct fixation of the small foot. And the most important thing that parents should not miss out on is the right foot size.
Choosing the size of shoes, the main parameters is the length of the sole he is the tip of the thumb, to the most prominent place on the heel. And also the fullness of the foot. Typically, manufacturers who specialize in children's shoes, presents a change with a difference in size, as well as shoes for a wide, medium and narrow legs. This is done so that there are no abrasions on the foot. After all, if the shoes, for some of the parameters are very large, then the baby's leg will not sit tight, hence the shuffling of the heel, which will soon lead to injury. Close shoes will necessarily deliver unpleasant sensations, and also contribute to the wrong formation of the fingers. Therefore, many believe that the children should take shoes back to back. But this is just not right. Ideal option will be shoes for 1 cm more laid. You can check this out by eye, sticking a finger during the fitting between the back and the heel. The distance should be equal to the width of the little finger of an adult. This selection rule applies to both winter and summer footwear. The reason is the physiological features of the foot. Usually in the summer, legs tend to swell and increase in size, and in winter such space is necessary for an additional toe, insoles, and as an empty space for creating a warming effect.
Material.
The material from which shoes are made is another important element of footwear that makes up the concept of skin quality. Shoes for any season should be "breathable", made of high-quality and durable material. Synthetics used to make shoes does not worsen its appearance, and even sometimes surpasses natural materials in attractiveness and variety of ideas, but such footwear often turns out to be fragile, lets water pass, does not give a leg full ventilation. Therefore, it is better to pay a little more expensive, but to buy real leather or suede. To determine the quality of the material, it is enough to do several difficult manipulations:
- Tap with your finger on the nasal part of the boot or shoe - if there was a fine mesh of small wrinkles, and at the moment straightened up - natural and good quality material;
- smell - the skin should smell like skin, and not with glue, rubber or have another unpleasant smell;
- firmly press the palm to the boot - if the material quickly warmed up and became warm - it's genuine leather.
Also pay attention to the seams, fasteners and the sole. A knife in shoes should not interfere. Do not forget about proper care. After all, even the smallest shoes will retain their qualities longer if taken care of. Therefore, together with the purchase of the first shoes, buy and a suitable tool for caring for a new thing.