The Best... baby shoes

November 10, 11:23 AMEarly Childhood Parenting ExaminerAngele Sionna

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As cute as these booties are,
they fall off every five minutes.

Baby shoes can be a tricky thing. There are a lot of cute ones out there. But the secret is to go past cute and be practical.

Something to think about when shopping for baby shoes, it is better to have one nice pair of shoes then several cheap pairs. It will save you a ton of hassle and trouble. It took me a while to figure that out. And baby shoes last a long time without much wear because they don't really "use" them much.

Pediatrician Wendy Tuccille of Red Rock Kids Pediatrics says, "If they're not walking, I don't recommend [regular] shoes at all. Just use socks to keep their feet warm, or soft booties [like the soft-soled Robeez]. It's not harmful for babies to have shoes on their feet, it's just unnecessary."

With that in mind, here's a look at the best baby shoes of all the ones I've tried over the last few years with my daughters. You won't go wrong with any of these!

Robeez

My number one favorite, fall back, anytime for any size baby shoe is the basic Robeez. They are not only cute and colorful with designs to match any occasion and personality but they cannot be removed by even the sneakiest of babies. Another nice note - because they are made so well, you can easily pass these down from one baby to the next and Robeez makes lots of unisex options if you want to do that.

Don't be fooled though by the generic versions at Target and other places. They are not the same. Not only do they fall apart fast, but kids can get them off lickity split.

Robeez also makes a new line of shoes called Robeez Mini Shoes for babies 3-18 months that have waterproof soles and a line for older tots called Robeez Tredz. Both are the same high quality construction but they are easier (though not all together easy) for tots to take off. You can compare all their features HERE.

Robeez has some nice little gift sets and holiday shoes right now too. I've asked for a pair of Robeez for each of my girls from their grandparents. Note, if ordering online as a gift, choose the size that fits the age. The 0-6 month size, for example, really will fit babies in that age bracket, even a little older. They'll be big on newborns, obviously, but stay on pretty decently.

Pediped

Really cute designs for both boys and girls and top quality construction make Pediped shoes another good choice for babies. They are easier to get on and off than the Robeez for both parents and babies. But they have a much larger line of "real shoe" looking fashions for newborns through two years old. Plus another line called Pediped Flex for older kids. You won't go wrong buying these either. Robeez tends to run a little bit big, at least for girls shoes.

Isabooties

If you're looking for a cute and quality alternative baby shoe that uses no animal products, check out the Isabooties. The packaging is made from recycled materials and printed with soy inks too. Isabooties are soft-soled shoes made out of Ultrasuede and ToughTek fabrics. They're available in several girly designs as well as lots of unisex choices. Note: the cute criss-cross ballet shoes run pretty big. Definitely check the size chart before ordering and I'd err on the side of ordering the smaller size in this brand!

While technically not shoes, these socks made to look like shoes are all little babies really need sometimes. Jazzy Toes come in LOTS of different styles that all look like shoes from cowboy boots to prissy little Mary Janes, even loafers and sandals. They have non-skid soles for babies big enough to stand or walk. To top it all off, they look so precious on!