Lavish Baby’s Tootsies with ShooShoos

According to Guyton’s Medical Physiology, there are 5 Righting Reflexes of the body: 2 in the eyes and 3 in the body including the head, neck, and feet. The purpose of these Righting Reflexes is to keep the brain level. That’s why people sometimes lose their balance when they close their eyes. One’s awareness of the body’s position in space, or proprioception, is also significantly affected by the neuroreceptors on the soles of the feet.

When a baby first learns how to roll his body while turning his head to the side, he is engaging those righting reflexes. Again, those neural receptors are engaged in the feet when a baby is first learning to walk. That’s why it’s so important to let baby explore barefoot to better develop the proprioceptors and mechanoreceptors on the soles of the feet.

However, if baby has to wear shoes (baby’s not walking around at home), then it’s beneficial to wear soft-soled shoes to prevent ankle rolling and to encourage sensory development in the feet. Did you ever imagine walking and baby shoes could be so technical. I love neurology and I love babies . . . so, you get a little of both when you read Traveling with Baby. So, if you can have a soft-soled baby shoe that benefits baby AND one that includes fabulous taste in design, you win with both form and function. Not to fret, Shooshoos offers appeal in both categories.

Calvin received his first pair of all natural leather ShooShoos as a gift. I loved how easy it was to slip ‘em on, yet how tough it was impossible for him to remove them even with adamant kicking. For that reason, his socks NEVER stayed on over the winter, and most baby booties were way too small for my little guy’s big feet. The ShooShoos were awesome . . . until he quickly grew out of them. That’s why I recently ordered another pair, this time in dark brown suede. They’re super soft and they look adorable on him.

ShooShoos are sized for 0 to 24 months in designs that are appealing to both boys and girls. The designs include sandals, sport laces, side laces, t-bar, and wraps in colors ranging from pink and fuschia to metallic gold and silver, brown, white, and blue. Some of my favorite designs include the airplane, dumpster, giraffe, puppy, train, and hibiscus.

Good for Baby

ShooShoos are paediatrician-endorsed, and now, chiropractor-endorsed for growing little feet so that they form naturally. These adorable shoes also won an iParenting Media Award.

Buy baby shoes and build a better community

ShooShoos began in 1996 in Cape Town, South Africa to uplift disadvantaged communities. Since then, it has grown into a worldwide brand with sales in over 20 countries. ShooShoos’ commitment is to provide footwear for parents’ most precious asset. All shoes are manufactured in Cape Town.

Shoe Features:

• elasticized ankle–easy for an adult to put ‘em on, yet nearly impossible for baby to remove them. Whew! At last!
• 100% soft, supple, napa leather
• non-toxic dyes–safe for baby, and easy on the eyes
• non-slip soles as baby explores or cruises in those first tentative steps
• no trip-hazard laces = safe baby
• all cotton thread and lining

These shoes are safe:

All shoes conform to British and European safety standard (BS 5665 EN71 Part 3: Safety of Toys) and have no harmful effects.

This is reassuring information, especially since babies tend to use shoes as chew toys in addition to toe warmers.

Easy Maintenance:

You can clean them in the washing machine (cold water, gentle cycle), then let them air dry and finalize in the dryer. Easy cleaning means it’s more likely that you’ll use them on baby. I also found it easy to wipe them down with a moist washcloth.

Get ‘em FAST!

The website states that all shoes are shipped within 48 hours. My contact at ShooShoos USA mentioned that they ship within 24 hours. If you need baby shoes quickly, they’ve got your baby’s feet covered!

Economical

These stylish shoes are similar to other brands available in the market, but ShooShoos prices are much easier on the wallet. Prices begin at $12.95 and range up to $19.95. For that price, I can afford more than one pair at a time!

WIN a pair of ShooShoos

We’re giving away a pair of ShooShoos (retail value $19.95). To enter, visit ShooShoos USA and check out their cool styles for infants and toddlers. Then, come back to this post and comment on the style and size you prefer.

This contest runs until midnight (EST) on June 1st.

One winner will be randomly selected (via random.org) and announced on this post and Prizey Winners on June 2nd. If the winner doesn’t respond within 72 hours, a new winner will be selected.