Baby Care

Posts Tagged ‘baby shoes’

Unisex Baby Clothes can come in handy for your new baby a bunch of different ways. For one, many parents will choose to wait until their baby is born until finding out the sex of the baby. This makes it particularly difficult for friends and family, as well as the parents themselves to buy baby clothes for the baby. Stores like Carters are a great place to start to find tons of different kids clothes, baby shoes, infant clothing, and more clothes for your baby that will be unisex. Even though a lot of the clothes may be more suited for baby girls clothes, there are still a lot of great outfits that will work for a boy and girl. Think neutral and you will save the day, as neutral colors such as tan could work for both boy or a girl.

As a new parent, you can also register at baby stores such as Babies R’US for Unisex baby clothes and other unisex toys and products for for infants. When you go to the hospital and your in labor, you will need the right baby clothes to take great care of your newborn baby and the bare essentials are needed for your baby after they’re born and when you take your baby home for the first time. Your baby will most likely wear a hat in the hospital and onesies in a unisex color would definitely be needed. Finding Unisex Baby Clothes such as bibs, t-shirts, and cloths won’t be problem as there are many different colors and slogans. For example, “I love my mommy” bibs are definitely unisex for a cute baby boy or a baby girl.

It’s important to notify your family and friends about your selection to be surprised at birth with regards to you babies gender, therefore, that will save you tons of time potentially taking back baby clothes that is the wrong gender. Your friends may buy a truck or cars, or books geared to baby girls with princesses and dresses. These are all items that you would want to steer clear from.

Also, another great tip is to think of all your friends and family that have recently had babies in the last year. Remember that your baby will grow super fast in the first year and run through baby clothes faster than you’ve ever ran through clothes. Therefore, it is very likely that a friend or family member will have clothes that their baby maybe used once or twice, or even better, they grew so fast that their baby never even wore the unisex baby clothes. There are many examples of this and it’s a great idea to get pass me downs since your baby will outgrow the clothes so fast that it doesn’t always make sense to buy the clothes brand new. If you are planning to have another baby, you should hold onto all of your baby clothes as you never know if they will be needed or not.

Remember to check out Babies R’US Registry and Carters for great ideas and unisex baby clothes that will work for each gender. Good luck with your surprise and we hope you take great care of your new baby.

Your child’s feet will continue to develop right up until their mid to late teens. Newborn babies’ feet don’t even have the full complement of bones they will have in later life (26), and the arch of the foot won’t develop until around the age of 2. It is essential that you ensure that their feet get the right support and protection throughout childhood to enable them to grow and develop in a healthy way.

Choosing footwear

New babies: Until your baby starts to crawl and move around, experts recommend bare feet to ensure healthy development. Socks and booties are fine for protecting against the cold when you are outside, but make sure that they don’t restrict your baby’s feet. Even jumpsuits that are too short can result in claw, retracted or hammer toes, so you may decide to opt for ones without feet.

Crawling babies: Soft, slip-on “pre-walking” shoes help protect the feet of crawling babies, and you may want to invest in at least one pair with a rubber toe-protector. However, make sure you continue to give your baby the chance, where safe, to practice crawling and standing on bare feet.

Toddlers: Once your child is walking confidently, you will need to buy some proper shoes that support and protect their feet. Experts still recommend letting your child walk around without shoes as much as possible, where it is safe to do so, as this promotes healthy foot development.

When buying shoes, it’s always best to go to a good shoe shop where you can have your child’s feet measured by staff on a machine which will accurately measure the length and width of their feet. This will ensure that the shoes you buy will be a proper fit. Outdoor shoes need to be well made and sturdy, preferably made of leather and with a flexible, non-slip sole. The toes of your child’s shoes should be wide and allow the toes inside to spread out, and high enough so that the top of the shoe doesn’t press down on the toenails.

Toddlers generally need to have their feet re-measured every 6-8 weeks, and older children every 3-4 months.

Caring for your child’s feet

Keeping your baby’s feet clean and the nails short is essential to healthy foot development. Remember that babies’ feet tend to sweat more than adults’, and their toenails tend to grow faster too, so it is a good idea to use bath time as an opportunity to check feet on a regular basis. Look out for red patches and blisters, which may indicate that your child’s shoes are not fitting properly. Don’t burst blisters, however tempting this may be, as you run the risk of opening up the irritated patch to infection.

Children can be very sensitive about having their feet inspected or their toenails cut, so it is a good idea to try and do this while they are asleep if you can. For example, if you are taking a long car journey and you suspect your child may fall asleep in the car, remove their shoes and socks before setting off so that you can have a few undisturbed minutes to indulge in a bit of foot-care while they are blissfully unaware.

Some common minor problems

In-toeing and out-toeing: Some children when they start walking exhibit an “in-toed” or “out-toed” gait, meaning that one or both of their feet turn inwards or outwards. This usually corrects itself without any intervention, but if you are concerned, or if the problem persists past toddler hood, consult your doctor or health visitor.

In growing toenails: Red or swollen skin at the side of your child’s toenail may indicate an in growing toenail. To avoid these, cut your child’s toenails straight across and try to file off any sharp edges. If your child is experiencing persistent discomfort from in growing toenails, consult your doctor.

Hand, foot and mouth disease: Not related in any way to the foot and mouth disease that affects livestock, this is a common viral infection which causes blisters in the mouth, palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It is contagious and most nurseries will insist that children stay home as long as they have blisters. Hand, foot and mouth may be accompanied by a light fever, but will generally clear up quickly and without treatment after a few days.