Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes!
Posted on August 14th, 2007 – 9:02 AMBy Kay Krhin
Okay, we’ve talked baby shoes here, and here. Now how about mom?
Pregnancy does a number on your tootsies. Added weight, swelling/edema cause the wide “Fred Flintstone” feet. Your back is out of whack, your center of gravity compromised and you need good support. And just forget shoes that need to be tied, buckled, zipped, or anything that causes bending over. Slip-ons baby! The problem is oftentimes the clunky look of “comfort shoes” make you thankful that you can’t see your feet. Very much function over fashion.
With my first pregnancy I got by on some well-worn and not so pretty Merrell slip ons. I swore the next time I was pregnant, that I would invest in some new, quality, supportive comfort shoes. And so the hunt began.
I tried a few department stores to no avail. Harried salespeople juggling boxes running back and forth to the shoe room. I know several pregnant moms who swear by Schuler Shoes. (Sort of the Stride Rite for grown ups). And another who swears by Sven’s Shoes - a haul from the metro up in Chisago City. My husband grew up in Fargo and has stories of sporting goods store Scheels. Well, found out there’s one in Eden Prairie. We went and checked it out. Three other preggos were there circling the comfort shoes when I arrived. Hmmm…I must be in the right place. I tried on several pairs and was surprised that I fell in love with the old 1970’s punchline “Earth Shoes.” They aren’t as ugly as I recall and really ideal for pregnant women. Then I also was crushing on some cushy Dansko’s. But ”ouch” on the wallet to buy both pairs. Then Peter said “What about checking out the clearance room?” Clearance Room? Apparently Scheels is fabled for their clearance room. Found it. Found a pair of Earth Shoes (Mary Jane’s) and Dansko’s that I loved more than the ones I originally tried on. And the best part? The price for both pairs didn’t even hit 3 digits. Super score!
What were your favorite shoes when you were pregnant and where did you shop for them?
15 Responses to "Mama Needs a New Pair of Shoes!"
My favorite pair was a pair of slip on Airwalks that I bought at Herbergers. I could only afford 1 pair so I bought brown and planned my outfits around the shoes!
My pregnancy shoes carried me through the several months after giving birth when regular shoes didn’t fit yet. I had a pair of wool clogs with birkenstock-like bottoms. They were awesome! (I think I got them from Lands End or LL Bean.) WAAAY big now, but it got to where I couldn’t put my regular shoes on without contortions. So slip-on, winter-appropriate shoes were great. My pregnant-buddy at work lived in crocs (for the same reason). Although I think I probably got less snow in my shoes with wool! They were a nice dark grey wool and went with everything.
I lived in a pair of Clarks when I was pregnant. Though they weren’t the most attractive shoes, they were comfy and lasted the whole time.
I’ve heard great things about Dansko’s.
Birkenstocks of various styles - the ultra comfy classic sandals and dressier styles that can be worn to work, weddings, parties…
I had super swollen feet in my first pregnancy and my Birkenstocks got me through in comfort. And as unattractive as some people think they are, Crocs can be very comfy and economical. I live in my Mary Jane crocs. I also love my Danskos, but only fit in them after my pregnancies.
My favorite (and only shoes that fit by the end of two pregnancies) were my Dansko’s. I have been a huge fan of them since I got my first pair half way through my first year of residency. When I was pregnant with our first child, I got to the point where none of my shoes fit anymore. I was hedging about what to do b/c I didn’t really want to spend $100 on a pair of shoes. My ever-sweet husband so wisely pointed out that since I am on my feet all day (I’m a physician) and we were planning on having more that one child, that the larger size Dansko’s would pay for themselves over time. He was so right! I went to the store and bought a larger pair of black Dansko’s and they were great. After the first baby was born, I could wear them with wool socks until my regular shoes fit again (it was November). Even better was knowing that when I was pregnant with #2 (they’re only 14 months apart) and my regular shoes got too small, all I had to do was take my big Dansko’s out of the box and go. And I can still wear them with wool socks in the winter!
Ditto on the Dansko comments - I LIVED in the things throughout my pregnancy. By the time I delivered, they were worn out! Am considering getting another pair, even though I am not expecting right now.
Now I’m anxious to buy some of these shoes (although I’m always game for buying shoes, so it doesn’t take much : ) I’m only 15 weeks along though and was wondering if I should wait to get my “pregnant shoes.” Thoughts?
I have a pair of Earth shoes. When I got home and read the brochures that came with them, though, I began to doubt whether they are that much better for you. It reads like some hippie-dippy story: the founder was walking on the beach one day when she was inspired by her footprints… here I had thought some foot doctor had designed them. And then it even has the audacity to suggest that you’ll burn more calories walking in your Earth shoes because your feet are at an incline. That seems a little far-fetched.
However, I have to say that they are still pretty darn comfortable. I wear them all the time (during pregnancy especially).
I lived in my OKA b.’s when I was pregnant. They massaged my feet and I could stand in them all day. I especially liked the madison style with the ribbons that you could change to suit your mood!
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