Are used shoes ok for baby?

[mra]

Hi! I was just wondering if anyone knows whether used shoes are ok for a baby or toddler to wear. We have a bunch of used shoes from my LO's cousin, but I thought I read somewhere that used shoes are no good because they are conformed to another child's foot and can therefore be bad for a child that is learning to walk. That makes sense, but I can't remember where I found the information and a quick Google search didn't return much.

If not, there is no sense in me keeping all these shoes around (seriously, like 25 pairs) for future use.

[PatioGardener]

My little guy is wearing hand-me-down Robeez that I think are on their forth kid :)

Edited by PatioGardener - 5/23/11 at 2:57pm

[Terrilein]

If they seem hardly worn then I'd be ok with it. Their feet grow so fast that they hardly have time to break in a pair before it's time to get a new pair. So I'd just take a good look at them first.

[Adaline'sMama]

I wouldnt keep them if they were worn very much. Personally, i have very low arches, and when I buy used shoes or am handed down shoes, they hurt for weeks if the person had a high arch. I dont know if it would even be the same with babies, but I would save the ones that werent super broken in, and toss the ones that were. But, my baby is barefoot about 80% of the time so I wouldnt think Id need 25 pairs of shoes for my next one.

[tzs]

i've heard that too but we do used shoes. but also my kid has very low-maintenence easy to fit feet.

plus i figure that there are kids out there wearing shoes that are duct-tapped together and still learn how to walk so we're good.

[lookatreestar]

i personally would rather only buy one or two pairs then have used shoes. but honestly my kids are barefoot 75% of the time.

[WifeofAnt]

My son is a tad bit older (born earlier the same month) and he doesn't have any shoes.  When we do get shoes (when he starts walking outdoors, they're just decoration before then) they will be soft soled and hopefully new.  Maybe he'll only have one set of shoes at a time but they'll be good ones!

[mra]

We aren't actually using any yet. We have never even tried to put a pair of shoes on her. My SIL apparently likes to buy shoes for our niece and lots of them. I'm of the opinion that barefoot is better unless it is a safety issue.

Maybe I'll just sort through them and keep the ones that look pretty new.

[beebalmmama]

My LO's where used shoes here. I wouldn't worry especially if they're soft soled shoes. I probably started making sure used shoes were in better condition once ds was really running/playing/walking a lot (2-3 yrs?). How much can little babes wear their shoes out anyway?

[chel]

I'm all for used baby shoes.
We get all 4 seasons, so kids go through shoes quickly. My kids stay barefoot almost all of the time so most of the hand me downs were only wore a handful of times.
Dd has yet to even come close to wearing out a shoe

Even my oldest isn't wearing out shoes. Went from size 5 this fall to size 9 this spring. Her gym shoes look brand new
Edited by chel - 5/24/11 at 5:38am

[St. Margaret]

Used for a baby, of course! We only do soft soled (san Diego weather) so they are not shaped really, it doesnt matter. I loved finding a cute pair of robeez at a garage sale for a buck for dd! I got ds one new pair and then he's going to wear dd's hand me downs.

Now dd doesn't wear used shoes, not real shoes. But I just hunt for great cheap flexible shoes for her. They actually exist!