How to care for baby’s feet

From figuring out feeding to making milestones, it can feel like there are a million things on your plate when it comes to taking care of your baby. Feet are our foundation and in growing bodies, it’s particularly important to make sure they are being taken care of.

Although baby foot care can often be overlooked, we’re pleased to tell you it doesn’t need to be a complicated part of caring for your child. Read on to see our advice…

Keep nails trimmed

Regularly trim your babies’ toenails to ensure that they don’t damage the delicate skin around the nails. Always cut straight across and although you want them to be tidy, take care to not cut them too short.

Go barefoot

Until your baby is ready to walk around outside, we recommend keeping them barefoot (or in socks) as much as possible. Wearing rigid shoes unnecessarily can restrict movement and space which babies need to grow and improve their range of motion.

Wash and dry well

When bathing your baby, don’t forget to wash their feet just as well as the rest of their bodies. Make sure you dry their feet very well once out the bath, as overly moist feet can cause several issues such as cracked skin and bacterial infections.

Measure regularly

Baby feet can grow extremely quickly! When your baby does reach the age when they start wearing shoes, have their feet measured professionally at least once every three months. In most high street shoe stores, you can have this done free of charge.

Don’t worry about flat feet

Most babies’ feet are flat when they start walking and can remain so until around the age of 5. Once your baby is sitting up, encouraging them to sit with their legs forward and not backwards in a W position, will help them to develop properly.

If you have any concerns about your baby’s feet, you can make an appointment at Dulwich Podiatry by calling us on 020 8693 6000