Babies have incredibly adorable feet at birth, with tiny, straight toes and delicate, pink flesh. Because they are primarily formed of adipose tissue, a newborn's feet are soft and malleable until they eventually mature into bones. Despite not walking until they are about 15 months old, babies are born with the ability to walk. The infant will move his legs as if he were walking if you hold him under his arms and gently "stand" him. At birth, this "stepping reflex" is present; it goes away after six weeks.
Your baby's brand-new feet may be blue, wrinkled, and peeling like most of his body after spending nine months in a fluid-filled cocoon. Don't worry; as soon as the infant warms up, the feet will pink up and fill out. Because they are born with a pad of fat even in the arch area, babies typically have flat feet. Additionally, when infants first stand, their leg and foot muscles aren't strong enough to maintain their arches. It takes until the age of 7 for the arch to become obvious.
Problems
Flat feet
Every newborn has flat feet. The spring-like arch, which is intended to diffuse your toddler's weight as she runs and walks, often arises gradually as the bones grow. To avoid flexing their knees or ankles, most beginning walkers tend to "plod," moving their legs as a unit.
Because they have more fatty tissue on their feet and are carrying more weight, overweight toddlers are more likely to develop flat feet because their feet appear even flatter than they already do. Some infants experience discomfort when they try to walk due to muscle issues.
Clubfoot
A variety of foot malformations that result in your newborn baby's feet being twisted, pointing down, and inward are referred to as clubfoot. Clubfoot affects both feet in about half of infants. Boys are approximately twice as likely as girls to suffer clubfeet. Although your kid won't feel any discomfort if they have clubfoot, it can have long-term effects, impairing their ability to walk.
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Foot Care
Movement
Never stop a baby from kicking or wriggling since this is how they build their muscles. Feet should be unrestricted by too tight clothing, booties, leggings, or any other type of foot protection.
Your child can crawl barefoot once they start to move on all fours. Their toes and feet will develop normally as a result. Unless it's extremely cold outside or your infant is going outside, you don't need to wear any kind of shoes.
Clean feet
Every day, gently wash your baby's feet with soap, and then dry them off with care. Pay close attention to the spaces in between the toes and the area around the toenails, since these areas can serve as a breeding ground for bacteria much like in adults.
Even though they are little, a baby's toenails that are let to grow out too far can cause injury to their incredibly fragile skin when they kick or play with their feet. You can purchase specialized baby nail clippers to make the process simple and quick, with the least amount of stress or worry for you and the young one. Trim them straight through, leaving no rough edges, just like you would with adult toenails.
Coverings
Because babies develop so quickly, it's crucial to routinely check that your child's socks and booties fit properly. If something shrinks while being washed, something that fits comfortably one week could be excessively tight the next.
Combination stretch suits with covered toes should be avoided since, even if the body of the suit fits, the feet can be too small.
L.F.
04.11.2022.