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Almost from the moment they first wriggle and wiggle into life, your baby’s feet play a vital part in their well-being. And, s they grow over the weeks, months and years ahead, they’re going to support your child when they’re walking, running, playing and dancing! So it’s important to take good care of those tiny toes from day one.
Let Tiny Toes Wriggle
Babies love playing with their toes and you can bring them into your fun time together too, with games like ‘This Little Piggy’ and ‘Round and Round the Garden’. The important thing is to allow plenty of bare feet time so baby can flex and stretch their toes. And that goes for later in life too, once baby has started to toddle and walk. Little toes should be free to wriggle, so it’s important to ensure that baby grows and socks aren’t tight and restricting. And remember, wash feet daily and dry well between the toes to avoid problems like athlete’s foot. Nails should also be kept short by cutting straight across using baby nail clippers.
For more information on Baby foothealth, head to Clarks.co.uk
Get Advice on Fitting Early
Indoors and for those first trips out in the pram, well-fitting baby socks will be enough to keep little feet warm. But in cold weather and as baby starts to grow and become more mobile, you should start thinking about shoes or pram shoes and it’s important to get the best advice from the first pair. So who better to turn to than Clarks. They’ve been crafting footwear for more than 180 years. They’ve also been measuring children’s feet for more than half a century and, from a choice of whole sizes, half sizes and widths - all with growing room built in - they’ve been providing the best fitting children’s shoes for just as long, nurturing and caring for millions of tiny toes as they’ve gone from crawling to cruising to walking.
Click here for more information on the importance of fitted shoes
Lifelong Care For Your Baby’s Feet
Children’s feet grow at an incredibly fast rate for the first four years of their life and so it’s easy to see why you should ensure your child’s feet are properly measured on a regular basis. But did you know that the bones, ligaments and muscles of the feet are not fully developed until late into your child’s teenage years?
So, while it might be tempting to buy shoes that don’t offer proper width and length fitting for your baby, this could have an impact on the long-term health of your child’s feet. It could cause blisters, pressure sores, in-growing toe nails, bunions, even knee and posture problems. Not only that. Shoes that are too big or too small could hinder walking development both in the short and long term.
So, whether your child is still in a pram, crawling, starting to take their first wobbly steps, starting pre-school or growing into a dedicated follower of fashion, you’ll find that Clarks has an excellent choice of shoes to suit. Just as important, their well trained staff will help you choose which type of shoe is best for your little one. After that, all you need to decide on is the colour!
Click here for more information on Baby foothealth
Does The Shoe Fit?
Here are some simple checks you can make to ensure your child’s shoes fit properly.
Length - There should be no more than a 14mm gap between the big toe and the end of the shoe. If there is less than 8mm, they are getting too small and it’s time to get a new pair.
Width - The shoe should support the sides of the foot but not squeeze it.
Buckles and straps - These should not have sharp edges that could dig into the child’s foot. Straps should be well padded on the inner surface.
Both feet - Always make sure that both your child’s feet are measured as many of us have one foot bigger than the other – sometimes up to a whole size. A good shoe store will happily measure both feet.
Keep measuring - You should get your child’s feet measured professionally every two to four months for the first few years of their life. It may seem a lot but it will guard against problems later on.
Socks and tights - Make sure that you choose socks and tights with a high content of natural fabric such as cotton to allow the feet to breathe – this will stop them getting smelly too! Also, make sure socks and tights fit properly. Too tight and they could restrict your baby’s foot growth. Too loose and they can bunch up, causing blisters and corns. And avoid rough seams - these can cause irritation and sores.
If you think there may be a problem with your child’s feet, you can get help and advice from a local Chiropodist or Podiatrist. Visit www.feetforlife.org - the website of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists – for details.
For more information on the importance of shoe fitting, visit the Children's Foot Health Register at www.shoe-shop.org.uk, or the Society of Shoe Fitters at www.shoefitters-uk.org.
Click here for a guide to how Clarks’ trained fitters check the fit of a shoe
Now take a look at how to look after the care of your child’s feet for those first four important stages;
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