This Little Tootsie Went To The Market

Baby Foot Advice

Your bundle of joy enters the world and dad quickly checks to make sure he/she is strong. Ten toes!!! Great, now what do we do? When you have a healthy baby, all you want is to keep them healthy. Here are a few tips to keep your baby's feet happy. Many new parents are alarmed when they see discolored, wrinkled, and peeling skin on their new born. This is a normal finding and is not a reason to rush to the emergency room. One must not forget that a baby spends months trapped in a fluid filled sack in mom's stomach. Imaging what your feet would look like after lying in the bath tub for only a couple of hours! It takes time for the skin to get use to the new world.

Toenails are the obvious foot chore on babies. The nails should be kept short to prevent scratches and sores. Use a baby nail clipper and be sure not to cut the nails too short. If cut too close to the skin, an ingrown nail can develop. It is a good habit to check your baby's feet regularly after a bath. Look at the nails and the general appearance of the foot. Also, make sure to dry the feet off completely. Bacteria and Fungus can easily accumulate on a moist foot. Shoes for babies and toddlers have become very popular and stylish.

Though we think we are helping our children by putting them in shoes, it is actually better for development for a child to walk around barefoot. It is recommended to always have your children wear shoes outdoors since rough surfaces and outdoor debris can easily puncture the skin. Yes, of course the shoes are adorable and we love to buy them and try them on and put them with their cute outfits, but honestly you're better off letting them run around in just socks. Pediped's are a great alternative. They are hand stitched shoes that allow plenty of room for healthy growth. Your pediatrician will check the feet for any major deformities or problems. It is normal for your child's feet to look flat up to the age of two. You may think they look funny, too flat, or without an arch. The bones in the foot do not fully mature until 18-23 years of age. Some bones have not even started to grow yet when the baby is born! When you look closely the foot does not really look like a mini adult foot. Pediatricians are trained to look for common abnormalities and to refer you and your child to a podiatrist if a problem is suspected.

If you are worried or have questions about your child's feet, a podiatric physician can evaluate and treat children.