best feet forward:
how to measure your baby's feet
When your baby starts taking their first steps outdoors, it's time to get shoe shopping. The simplest way to get your baby's shoe size right is to take them to a shop with a qualified shoe fitter, but if that's going to be tricky for you we also have some advice on measuring at home.
what should i expect?
There may well be tears and tantrums, but you shouldn’t worry if your baby gets upset having their feet measured. The fitter should have loads of experience, and will be completely used to measuring not-entirely-happy children. It's best to go for shoes with plenty of support to hold your baby's feet in, for example with buckles or Velcro fastenings.[1]Plastic designs are better left on the shelf as they can make your baby's feet sweat, leading to the possibility of fungal infections.
how can i measure my child's feet?
For home measurements, there are a few options you can try out from drawing around your little one's foot or even painting - though these can be tricky to keep your little one still and messy if you choose to go down the paint route.
Alternatively, you can download and print our handy measuring guide. You may still have to contend with a wriggly little one, but with clearly marked sizes it hopefully shouldn't take you too long.
what about width?
Depending on who you buy your shoes from, the widths will either be classed as narrow, medium and wide, or sized from D to H – with D being the narrowest, H the widest and F the average. You'll be able to get a reasonable idea of whether your child has particularly wide or narrow feet just from looking. If you're not sure, start with a medium size. It's important that your child has a bit of wiggle room, and that the shoes will fit over socks.
how regularly will they need to be measured?
Children's feet grow at a pretty incredible rate, so it's really important to get them measured regularly. Until the age of four, you'll probably need to get measured every six to eight weeks – your baby's shoe size will be growing about two sizes a year during this period, so be prepared to splash out for lots of new shoes. Once they hit four, it's fine to get measured every three months.
[1]. When should I buy my baby her first pair of shoes, Baby Centre.