pediped Improved Originals!

I had a fun video review to share with you all but for some reason I cannot get videos uploaded to YouTube or to my blog from my camera. I’m still working on that!

In the meantime, I wanted to tell you the importance of purchasing quality shoes for your new walker. Some people don’t realize the importance of a good pair of shoes for an infant and what impact it has on proper foot development. We all get caught up in the cuteness and styles that are out there, and some people think that all children’s shoes are the same. My mom always stressed the importance of spending a little more on children’s shoes that will support foot development, and after doing a ton of research and speaking with a podiatrist as well as my daughter’s pediatrician, I have learned that not all shoes are appropriate for little feet that are just learning to walk. As a matter of fact, beginner walkers shouldn’t even wear shoes when experimenting with their first few steps because it is important for their feet to feel the floor.

There are only a handful of children’s shoe companies out there that use research based methods to construct shoes that allow for proper foot development. Pediped is one of those companies. pediped footwear was established in 2004 by a mom who only wanted the best for her little girl (don’t we all!?) Armed with the knowledge of proper foot development and the importance of quality shoes, Angela and Brian Edgeworth created pediped, “the next best thing to bare feet.”

Not only does pediped carry a line of shoes for new walkers, called Originals (birth to 2),  but they also have shoes that are designed for children 9 months to 3 years called Grip ‘n’ Go, and rubber soled shoes called Flex for children 1-8 years old. The differences amongst the shoes are to accomodate your child’s growing foot, as well as providing more support where it is needed.

I personally didn’t try pediped shoes with my daughter because I simply did not know enough about them. I had the opportunity to try out pediped Originals on my friend’s little girl, who has just started walking at 11 months. The shoes are very soft and fit comfortably on her feet. Don’t let the soft leather fool you- the shoe offers plenty of support for new walkers and the redesigned pediped Originals also offer a more slip resistant sole. Did you know that doctors recommend soft leather soles for new walkers because they most closely mimic barefeet? So, while your child can’t always be barefoot, pediped shoes really are “the next best thing to barefeet!”

Once your new walker is confident in his/her stride, you can choose to keep your little one in Originals or move on to the next step which is the pediped Grip ‘n’ Go. You can find out more information about pediped and their entire line of shoes at pediped.com, plus you can also connect with pediped on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date on their latest news and promotions.

Disclosure: I received a complimentary sample to facilitate my review. All opinions are my own.