Need toddler shoe advice please

[sherry7]

I'm at a loss, and need some advice please.

My daughter is 14.5 months old, and just started taking 3-4 steps in the last couple of days. Since I'm sure it will take awhile for her to become an adept walker, I want to keep her in very flexible shoes. Right now she has a pair of Clarks First Shoes (size 5.5 wide) which I like, but I checked earlier today and her toe is hitting the end of the shoe. Specifically, she has this shoe: http://www.clarks.co.uk/find/mcrages-is-cruising/product-is-20343044

Here's the problem. She has a very high instep, and these Clarks are the only shoes that I've found that accommodate her high instep. But, the pair we have (which are now outgrown) are the biggest ones they make in the Clarks First Shoes line. The larger Clarks don't have the thin super flexible sole like these do.

So, I guess I need to find a new brand of shoe for her. The last time I took her to the Stride Rite store, those didn't work well with her high instep, so that brand is out. I can't seem to find a brand with a thin rubber flexible sole in the large size she needs.

Can someone suggest a shoe that meets these criteria:
high instep
semi-wide foot
thin flexible rubber sole
comes in a size 6.5 wide

Thanks for any advice. :)

[crl]

If she is a brand new walker, I would keep her in Robeez or the like until walking is better established.

Catherine

[DietCokeLover]

If she is a brand new walker, I would keep her in Robeez or the like until walking is better established.

Catherine

:yeahthat:

[sherry7]

If she is a brand new walker, I would keep her in Robeez or the like until walking is better established.

Catherine

Unfortunately, Robeez don't accommodate her high instep. She gets a vicious looking red mark on her foot, even if i stretch them out. The Robeez mini shoes with the rubbery sole don't work either.

[Dr C]

Have you tried Pedipeds? You could also try the knockoff Robeez at Target and see if they fit any differently.

I'm confused about how Robeez leave a red mark on her foot--are they the right size? Where is the mark? The only place I've ever seen them rub on my kids was where the elastic back meets with the upper in front, and we solved that problem by putting socks on them (and they eventually developed a bit of a callous so it wasn't a long term problem, I also didn't see this with every pair).

The other solution I can think of, at least for around the house, is to let her go barefoot as much as possible, or use socks with gripper soles. But she will need shoes someday, LOL.

[sherry7]

Have you tried Pedipeds? You could also try the knockoff Robeez at Target and see if they fit any differently.

I'm confused about how Robeez leave a red mark on her foot--are they the right size? Where is the mark? The only place I've ever seen them rub on my kids was where the elastic back meets with the upper in front, and we solved that problem by putting socks on them (and they eventually developed a bit of a callous so it wasn't a long term problem, I also didn't see this with every pair).

The other solution I can think of, at least for around the house, is to let her go barefoot as much as possible, or use socks with gripper soles. But she will need shoes someday, LOL.

Thanks for the reply. :) We haven't tried Pedipeds yet. I need to find a local store that has them. The Robeez-type shoes from Target are also a bad fit for her.

The Robeez bothers her foot where the elastic is in the front, even with socks. She got to the point that she would start screaming if I tried to put them on her. She really does have a super high instep, which is why we have such a problem finding shoes that fit properly.

She goes barefoot (or socks) inside the house, but she needs shoes for when she plays outside at daycare, etc.

[crl]

I found shoo shoos more accommodating of dd's fat feet than robeez. The elastic is more padded and more forgiving, IMO. You might give them a try.

Catherine

ETA. You might also look at the soft sole shoes that have a Mary Jane style. The elastic would be closer to her toes and wouldn't cross right over her instep then, at least I would think.

[YouAreTheFocus]

Have you tried Smaller from See Kai Run? These were our favorite baby/pre/new walker shoes. The leather is very soft & flexible, and they run wide. Also they have a velcro strap (no elastic) so you could make it as loose as you want.

[Neatfreak]

Seconding Smaller!

[sherry7]

Thanks for the advice. :) I had forgotten about See Kai Run. She had a pair of those a few months ago, and I liked them. The ShooShoos look nice too, and I see that some of them have a thin rubber sole instead of just soft leather.

[AnnieW625]

For pre walkers this time I was very happy with Bobux Originals (Whole Foods actually carries these), they are just a tad softer than Robeez, and I liked their sizing better. DD2 has tiny feet and I loved that they offered a 3-9 mos. size. DD2 is currently wearing the Robeez from 2006/2007 that DD1 wore so I have not bought any of their shoes since then.

I also really like Pedipeds. DD1 had an extremely wide and large foot and we ran into the same problem as you are now with pre walkers w/partial rubber soles because Stride Rite prewalkers didn't come in a 5.5 or 6XXW. We did the Pedipeds soft soled shoes until she started walking well at 16 months, and then we switched to the softer stitched sole See Kai Runs. Eventually after those we did find a pair of Stride Rite XW Mary Janes, but she had been walking for a few months by then. I will say with See Kai Run that you might want to order the next size bigger because I think for kids with wider feet they tend to run small (although most reviewers say they run big, who knows maybe a lot has changed since 2008 when I last bought a pair). I bought DD1 a size 5 or 5.5 and I really should've bought a 6, which I thought just looked huge, but she would've been able to wear them for more than a month.

[sherry7]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. :) I ordered a pair of Pediped Grip n Go Abigail shoes yesterday, and they arrived today. They're perfect, and exactly what I was looking for! Soft leather, soft flexible rubber sole, wide enough, and the Mary Jane style is good for her high instep.

This is the pair we got: http://www.endless.com/dp/B00427YIL4/ref=as_li_tf_tl?_encoding=UTF8&tag=pricedm-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=B002SG8EM0