https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 02:50:00 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot/page/2#post-1032752 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 23:59:38 +0000 shopaholic 1032752@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She's worn shoes (sandals and a pair of Robeez) a handful of times for fun and pics. But I've noticed she needs to be barefoot to have traction to stand. I'm sure in the winter, we'll just do socks or Robeez. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032715 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 23:18:17 +0000 teamjse 1032715@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>LO hates wearing shoes anyways I can never keep them on him. He barely wants to wear socks, he's barefoot all the time. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032657 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 22:01:52 +0000 lolabee 1032657@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks for sharing this! Now I have a scientific backing for the no shoes ;) It always felt right to keep him barefoot just didn't know the facts. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032428 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 20:15:49 +0000 bpcmarj 1032428@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>She is usually barefoot at home and then when we are out she is almost always wearing her Stride Rite SRT SM. They have a very flexible, thin sole meant for babies learning to walk. Before she was walking she wore robeez or SKR smaller leather soled shoes. I have been looking for some new shoes for her, but I don't want them to be bulky. I think I will get another stride rite pair, as I really like them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032426 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 20:15:11 +0000 sarac 1032426@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I have always intuitively felt that going barefoot was a better choice. This summer my toddler has mostly worn shoes when we leave in the car. We all walk around the neighborhood barefoot, frequently. I think that excessively shoe-d children concern me in the same way that those who are made to wear gloves all the time do. I worry about the lack of sensory input, and what that might mean for their brain development. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032392 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 19:56:39 +0000 LittleFox 1032392@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'll have to tell my mom about this. She's always disliked shoes for babies. The only thing she would put my little brother in were a pair of soft moccasins (I think Minnetonka), for cold weather or potentially hazardous terrain, and that was over 15 years ago. She actually just bought a pair for LO for when he gets bigger. He's only 8 months, and it's his only pair of shoes. He's normally barefoot, though he did wear socks in the winter. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032274 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:51:40 +0000 NovBaby1112 1032274@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>thanks for sharing! I always feel so bad that my LO is always barefoot anywhere we go, but now I know a good reason so that makes me feel better. She isnt walking yet so I dont see the point! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032260 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:32:00 +0000 allison 1032260@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: aw, thanks! I didn't mean for you to go out of your way or anything, though. I just thought you might already know of some. I've done a little bit of looking, but haven't had much luck, so far. I haven't committed much time to it, either, though. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032259 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:30:21 +0000 allison 1032259@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Penny Lane: my babe has big, fat feet, too! I know I'll never find shoes to fit. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032257 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:30:07 +0000 MamaBehr 1032257@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I knew this before I had kids, and so mine never had shoes before they were walking. I would do socks in the winter time, but other than that we are barefoot. In fact, neither of mine wear shoes inside, but that is because I don't like to wear shoes inside and they copy me hahaha </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032252 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:25:06 +0000 chrispygal 1032252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We've worn shoes a couple times for special occasions, but mostly we're barefoot. In the winter I used Zutano booties to keep her feet warm rather than shoes. She's starting to cruise a bit, but we're still holding off on shoes until she needs them. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032236 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 18:06:43 +0000 Penny Lane 1032236@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>ha! finally, a scientific excuse for my laziness! LO has super chubby feet and does crazy things with his toes so it's impossible to get shoes on him in the first place anyway... but i'm glad to have a real reason now ;)</p> <p>@allison: FWIW my DH had Merrills and hated them. he said they rubbed on his ankle wrong no matter how he laced them, and the woman we returned them to at REI said it's a common issue for them!</p> <p>I love the vibram 5 fingers for "barefoot" running and walking! not sure how small they sell though, and they're not the prettiest shoes ever </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032220 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:54:30 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1032220@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@allison: I'll do some hunting for you. For what it's worth, over half of the people I know with the barefoot Merrells don't use them for running. And I use them for just out and about. I'm back on the clock ;) because Mr. T is running back out again, but I'll message you tonight with what I find. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032209 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:47:41 +0000 pastemoo 1032209@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@allison: I started him in shoes only for weddings--then once he started walking we wear them to go outside--usually. Sometimes we go for a walk in the yard without shoes but generally we put him in shoes to walk on concrete or in public areas.<br /> The shoes he wears are leather soles--pedipeds. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032202 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:41:03 +0000 allison 1032202@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Twine: yeah, I was just looking at Merrell's site, and all their barefoot shoes were labeled for running. Um, I hate running (and did before I had a kid!). Can they just be my "walk around town" shoes? ;)</p> <p>Do you know of any that don't look like trainers and aren't flip flops? Maybe like moccasin-style or something? For adults, I mean. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032195 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:35:47 +0000 Mrs. Twine 1032195@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>You can get flexible soled shoes for older kids and adults as well. We really like Merrell (child/adult) and Tsukihoshi (child). I have a pair and used them for running. Back when I had time and did that sort of thing ;) Now I use them for chasing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032169 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:19:39 +0000 MamaMoose 1032169@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thank you for posting this! Just this morning I was kind of feeling badly that I always send my 8 month old (who cruises and can stand independently but doesn't walk) to school with bare feet! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032147 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 17:01:04 +0000 tysonja 1032147@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hahaha... well this makes me feel better about my 15 month old LO having only worn shoes maybe 8-10 times in his life so far! :) </p> <p>for us the main reason was he was a late walker (just getting steady this week!) and that he has wide/tall/big/chubby feet so every pair of shoes i've tried hasn't fit. right now he has one pair of shoes -- a wide pair of natives that we wear when we go to the water park :) that's it! :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032040 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:53:23 +0000 allison 1032040@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@deerylou: I think that's why soft-soled shoes are nice. They're not rigid, so they allow the foot to move like it's supposed to when walking, but they protect your feet from (most) harmful stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032037 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:52:56 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1032037@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>This is the reason why I kept LO barefoot or in soft soled leather shoes indoors for so long. However, I was against having her barefoot outside, but after seeing her early struggles with slightly uneven ground, I just let her run wild (but only on our yard).. Now she's fine either way. But I still let her run on gravel every once in awhile when she refuses to wear shoes. I tell myself it helps circulation. Hehe :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032035 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:52:34 +0000 Mrsbells 1032035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@allison: I agree with this and didnt put any shoes on my LO till she started walking and even then only when we are outside. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1032030 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:50:51 +0000 deerylou 1032030@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't see the point of shoes, unless a child is walking with confidence and skill. Granted, they're adorable, and I'm a total shoe horse, myself, but it's definitely not practical. </p> <p>My newborn wears socks when we're out and about, but is barefoot at home (save for bedtime, when she's in footed pajamas). </p> <p>I will not feel comfortable with LO being barefoot outside once she's walking, but otherwise, I think it's great. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031999 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:40:56 +0000 allison 1031999@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lamariniere: So what's the advantage of "real shoes" when you have to walk a longer distance? You just worry about something cutting the bottom of the shoe, or rocks, or what? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031932 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:11:16 +0000 lemondrop 1031932@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Love it! We only bother with shoes when we leave the house :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031912 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 15:03:00 +0000 lamariniere 1031912@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We used robeez on DS when he first started walking. At home he wears either robeez-like soft soled slippers when it is cold or goes barefoot in the summer. At 2.5, he does wear real shoes when we are out because we live in a city and have to walk. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031697 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 13:48:03 +0000 looch 1031697@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I found shoes to be a giant pain, so we didn't use them. We went straight to the Robeez mini walker shoes with a grippy sole and even now, we let our son go barefoot a lot at home, he's 2.5. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031681 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 13:44:14 +0000 lovehoneybee 1031681@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@allison: I didn't read the articles (or anything similar). I just hate wearing shoes, and assume that he'd have better balance while barefoot... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031675 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 13:42:46 +0000 runsyellowlites 1031675@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I hadn't heard about this but now I feel better about P being barefoot 99% of the time! She does have her converse, but rarely wears them.. those are really the only structured shoes she has. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031670 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 13:41:36 +0000 allison 1031670@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm so glad to hear that most of you already knew about this! Why didn't anyone tell me?! ;) </p> <p>I've never understood the babies in shoes thing. I mean, I guess they're cute, but so very impractical. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/keeping-babies-barefoot#post-1031667 Tue, 20 Aug 2013 13:40:52 +0000 heffalump 1031667@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've heard it's better for toddlers to be barefoot just because it helps them walk better. Personally I hate shoes so I never want to wear them.... and I figured LO wouldn't like to either. We're both usually barefoot :) Even when we go to library story hour or music class, I take our shoes off when we get there. </p>