Baobaby soft slippers for babies

Alma Ćurtović, physiotherapist

There are always ongoing dilemmas about when and which shoes to buy for a child.

While your baby is crawling and starting to pull up to stand, shoes are not necessary — not even during the first steps, unless the child is outside. In that case, shoes serve to protect against injuries and weather conditions such as rain or snow. Hard shoes and soles interfere with proper crawling and prevent the child from stepping correctly. In such cases, the child has to shift extra weight due to the thickness of the sole in order to make a proper step, which is not feasible at that age. During crawling, because of their stiffness, shoes can position the feet outward (into a valgus position), and during walking, they prevent sensory input from reaching the foot muscles.

As a physiotherapist with many years of experience in children’s neuromotor development, I recommend soft, breathable leather shoes made from natural materials—slippers that allow for complex joint movements and effectively enable the transfer of weight through bones and soft tissues. Until a child achieves stable, confident walking—and even afterward—it is beneficial for them to wear this type of footwear at home, as it supports the healthy and unrestricted development of the feet.

Alma Ćurtović, Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Bobath Instructor, Schroth Therapist