My Baby’s Toes Are All the Same Length

Are you nervous about your child’s square/ same length toes? There is nothing to worry about, as it’s very typical for some babies to have these types of toes. Although your child’s feet and toes continue to grow until their teenage years, any keen parent will begin to map out the shape of the little one’s feet and toes. It can be as early as when they are born and make their first step. Most of the toe shapes are genetic, an inheritance from a baby’s biological parents.

According to specialists, about three main toe shapes exist. The first and most common is tapered. This toe shape consists of a longer big toe, often longer than the rest of the toes. The second most common is known as rounded toes. Here either the second or third toe is longer than the rest of the toes. Lastly, your baby may be among those with square toes, which are usually similar in length.

Why You Should Monitor and Care for Your Baby’s Toes 

The early and teenage years witness exponential growth not just of the body but also your child’s feet and toes. It’s the very reason you should be on the lookout to see if these parts are forming correctly. For example, although born with just about 22 bones for each foot, your baby will have achieved 26 bones by age five, which is equivalent to the adult bones. Still, your kid does not reach the skeletal maturity of the same bones until their teenage years. You need to carefully care for and observe your child’s foot development throughout the years because of the soft cartilage, slowly turning into bone. Proper care includes the types of shoes your baby wears as they grow.

How to Care for Your Baby’s Square Toes

All baby feet and toes, irrespective of shape, need extra care. First, depending on the temperatures, keep the feet well covered and warm with socks or baby coveralls. Experts recommend using natural fibers, which allow both the feet and the toes to breathe.

The nails on your baby’s toes also grow quite rapidly. But something you need to be acutely aware of and prevent is the in-growth of nails. These can be quite painful, causing so much anguish. How do you handle it? It starts with how regular you trim the toenails. Twice a month can do. 

Did you also know that your baby can also get infections such as athlete’s foot? It happens if, after swim or bath, you do not wipe off the wetness in-between their little toes. The skin in there is still quite delicate and susceptible to infections. So after very bathe/ swim, carefully wipe and allow them to breathe.

Here Is How You Can Trim Safely

While some people trim the nails by navigating around the nail bed, the safest way is to cut your kid’s toenails straight across. Also, avoid cutting too close to the skin, but there is no need to panic if you see a blood drop. Your kid’s delicate skin heals quite fast from cuts/wounds. Meanwhile, avoid the temptation to bite off the toenails as a quick fix to keeping them the right size, as it could easily lead to infections. Use only clean and disinfected nail clippers or select a blunt-nosed toenail pair of scissors to complete the job.

Other Important Care Tips for Your Baby’s Toes

It is not just the feet that grow fast during your baby’s early years. Their toes and nails are always popping out every other day. In this case, their shoe size matters much, so ensure the shoe fits comfortably. Always shake off the temptation for second-hand shoes. It is because the shoes already have the shape of the previous wearer’s foot and toe shape. This can then interfere with the proper alignment of your baby’s developing feet and their natural toes shape.

How to Confirm That It Runs in the family

Mostly, it would help if you never worried about your child the same size toes. Neither should you subscribe to various myths that surround this type of shape. Instead, check carefully from the lineage to confirm it all runs in the family. Either you, your spouse, or any other family member across the line has the so-called square toes, and it’s never a disorder.