One of the questions many parents come up with during the early growth of their new child is "when will I have to start thinking about shoes for my baby?" Obviously, when the toddler begins walking, it will depend a lot on how much and just where he of she is walking as to what kind of shoes to purchase, but one thing is certain and that is baby shoes won't last very long as you the young offspring's can grow faster than a house plant.

Correctly fitted shoes are important to anyone at any age but especially with a tot as their feet need careful care and attention as they develop. Having said that, far too many parents spend far too much time debating shoe brands, designs, styles and colors for their child considering they are redundant in a few weeks or months at best. Additionally, the child is oblivious to the fuss surrounding their feet and so couldn't care less what they look like or who makes them, so long as they are a comfortable fit.

Even so, baby shoes are a major consideration for today's proud parents. A baby always in your arms and unable to walk or crawl will have completely different footwear to a baby that has started scurrying around independently. As there are different stages of growth to a growing baby, then there is a need to be mindful that these different stages will require several changes in footwear both in quality and design.

If you read some reports from pediatricians, many will recommend that your baby does not wear shoes until they reach at least 15 months of age. But this is just a general guide as not all children are the same and you need to take into consideration whether your baby is walking or not. Some babies are up and about at a surprisingly early age.

You may have noticed that some parents buy shoes the moment their baby pulls his or herself into a first tentative stand, whereas others heed the advice of pediatricians and wait as long as possible so as not to constrict their children's feet during early months. But if you feel the time has come to purchase babies shoes for your pride and joy, then it's always a good idea to look for something soft and flexible that will allow baby to use the movement of his or her feet to maintain balance and to toddle. Most baby care stores should be more than qualified to assist you with the correct footwear for your child.

Another thing you might want to take into consideration when buying baby shoes is to opt for not only very soft, but very breathable material too, and perhaps more important than anything, make sure that the shoe is plenty big enough to allow for natural movement of the foot and toes and to allow for a bit of growth. Footwear for babies and young children can be a costly business due to the need to replace it so often, so although you might be tempted to skimp on the price, remember that quality is important for the early development of young feet.