Growth is inevitable in every species, and your baby is not an exemption to the rule. As time goes by, you will realize the tiny cute shoes you once purchased don’t fit your little one anymore. Therefore, buying shoes that are comfortable and flexible with your baby’s growth should be your priority. However, there are a couple of things you should consider before settling for a new long-lasting pair of shoes. For instance, you will need to be familiar with the size of your baby’s feet. Luckily, we are here to help out with the numerous ways by which you can achieve the measurements with a baby shoe sizes guide. Additionally, we will give you details on the frequency of checking the shoe size.
1. Baby Shoe Sizes Guide–How Important are rightly sized shoes to your baby?
First of all, shoes that perfectly fit your baby will ensure long-term comfortability. Then, if the baby’s shoes hold on firmly to the baby’s feet, the chances of experiencing instability and falling will drop. Moreover, the seamless size contributes hugely to healthy foot growth and development as well as offering protection.
（Small baby’s shoes）
2. Baby Shoe Sizes Guide–How to Measure Baby’s Shoes Size
Before starting with the measurement, mark your ‘must-have’ checklist for the following items; a pencil, a size guide, a pair of scissors, shoelaces (when need dictates), a printer, tape, tape measure, a credit card for printing scale, and of course, your baby’s barefoot.
Are they all present? Great! Let’s get to it.
(measuring baby’s feet)
The first method you’ll use involves carrying out the measurements manually at home. Procedure includes:
Step 1: Let your baby stand straight. Make sure your baby’s foot is on a flat surface such that the weight of the body adds to the flattened foot.
Step 2: Then, trace the foot. While the baby is still standing, sneak some piece of paper under her feet. Also, remove any socks if present. Afterward, using a vertically held pencil, trace the baby’s foot outline on the paper piece. Lastly, keep the foot outline as accurate as possible. Even better, you can have as many retakes as it sits well with you. However, don’t make the baby tired.
The two remaining steps depend on the baby’s foot width and length, both of which you will need to measure separately.
Measuring the length
After tracing the longest contour point to the midline of the heel, use the tape measure to get the accurate measurement. You can do this directly or have your baby’s heels against the wall as your mark the furthest contour endpoint. This step involves getting the contour length. For accuracy, measure the right and left feet since they sometimes differ in length and size as the baby grows.
Measuring the width
As for the width, you can use a shoelace and wrap it around the widest part of the baby’s foot. Then, measure the shoelaces at the two meeting points. Do this for both feet.
Once you are done with the whole process, note down the measurements you have gathered, and voila! You are good to go.
（Little baby wearing a suitable shoe）
In the second method, you might choose to make your work easier by using a size guide. Procedure:
Step 1: First, you will need a printout of a size guide.
Fortunately, all it takes is having a printer, setting it to 100 percent scale, unchecking page scaling on the preferences, and getting the size guide. Then using your credit card, align it to the size area. A perfect-fitting is the go-ahead.
Step 2: Secondly, have some spacing.
Cut out the width and length ruler from the dotted lines in the size guide.
Step 3: Measuring the length.
In the beginning, you will firmly tape the length guide to an even floor for stability. On the other hand, the curved line should be against the wall. Let both the left and right foot on the length ruler, align the baby’s heel to the curved line.
After the alignment, mark the line just above the big toe with a pencil, then note the measurements in the guide’s blank length space.
Step 4: Measuring the width.
In your child’s upright position, closely wrap the width ruler around the widest part on the baby’s foot. Then with a pencil, mark the point of ‘align here’ on the width ruler. Proceed by taking the measurements and noting them down on the guide.
3. Baby Shoe Sizes Guide–How Do You Check if Your Baby’s Shoes Fit?
The various methods you can use to conduct this exercise include:
( a baby in comfortable shoes)
Visual check
First, any signs of discomfort such as dragging or teetering are often evident when the shoes are uncomfortable for the baby. Also coupled with red marks, the three discomfort signs above could mean the baby’s shoes are tight. Therefore, you can do your shoe check by turning the shoes inside out if possible and ensuring they are of a fitting size.
Proceed to the insole
Then, when you buy a few tight shoes, your baby might outgrow them after a short while. To avoid this, you may remove the insole, take its measurements then compare the reading with your baby’s foot measurements. Often, there should be an approximately 12 mm space – left for fitting. Longer insoles will mean more giant shoes, while short ones will result in small shoes for your baby.
（Wearing shoes for your baby）
Doing a pinkie test
Thirdly, you can use your pinkie finger to check the left space by placing it at the back of the shoe’s heel. Generally, it should fit without much effort and leave some room between the shoe and the baby’s feet.
Toe fitness
Again, it is advisable to have the distance between the shoe and your baby’s toes at about 0.5 inches. How to do this? While your baby is in an upright position, lightly press on the tip of both shoes with your thumb. You should be able to feel the space.
Now pinch the shoes
Finally, the material should be flexible enough and stretch to fit in your baby’s foot, even in a pinched state. It alleviates signs of uneasiness in the baby.
4. Baby Shoe Sizes Guide—How Often Should You Check the Shoe Size?
Most times, babies will gain a full shoe size by the end of six months. Hence, you will need to measure your baby’s feet every two to three months for the precision of fitting shoes.
Conclusion
Regularly, not many parents would care about measuring their baby’s shoe sizes, especially when stores can have that done. Nonetheless, when you choose to shop online, having the correct measurements and methods of carrying them out should sort you out perfectly.
Briefly, remember to measure your baby’s feet regularly, using the baby shoe size guide above, since they outgrow them quickly. Additionally, make sure the shoes fit your baby nicely and are comfortable at all times. All in all, we hope that using the baby’s shoe size guide has helped out in making correct choices.