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Parents have been walking up to me with lots of questions about when their baby needs to be in shoes and what type of shoes I recommend.

I don’t want to be a heel on this one, so let me get to the sole of the matter.

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Footwear facts and recommendations

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First of all, shoes are not required for babies in terms of their learning to walk.

In fact, babies who remain barefoot tend to walk sooner, as foot muscles get strengthened, and the forefoot becomes more mobile and flexible than it would if placed in a shoe.

Socks may be all you need to keep the feet warm and protected at home — especially if you use socks with rubber grips on the bottom to reduce the chance of your older infant or toddler slipping.

The only reason to put your baby into shoes is for protection or warmth, especially if they are going to be outside on cold or rough surfaces.

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What type of shoe to buy your pre- or early walker?

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If you are going to make this purchase, consider a soft shoe of either cloth or soft leather. This allows the feet to breathe with a very flexible rubber sole and a flat-non-skid bottom.

¯ High-tops for infants and beginner-walking toddlers are out since they restrict ankle movement needed to start walking.

¯ There should be a half-inch of toe room, recognizing that babies and toddlers will outgrow their shoes about every two months.

¯ The first shoes, as your child starts to walk, should also have minimal, if any, heel so that the child doesn’t catch the heel on obstacles.

¯ Velcro is probably the way to go when your child is young, so you don’t have to worry about retying laces all day long. Although, be aware that a child will be more apt to get out of shoes with Velcro than with laces tied tightly.

¯ Note that a baby’s feet will tend to swell up and are often bigger at the end of the day, so shop for shoes then rather than in the morning. This will avoid your baby’s shoes feeling tight in the evening.

¯ Avoid decorations on shoes that can detach and pose a choking hazard.

¯ Finally, hand-me down shoes are not a good idea since a shoe needs to be broken into a child’s individual foot.

Hopefully, tips like these will allow you to put your best foot forward when it comes to knowing more about shoes for your infant and toddler.

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Lewis First, MD, is Chief of Pediatrics at The University of Vermont Children’s Hospital and Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine. You can also catch “First with Kids” weekly on WOKO 98.9FM and NBC5.