We are going to see tips for trimming baby nail. Newborn babies and infants may accidentally scratch themselves or others because they haven’t yet developed the necessary control over their arm and leg movements.
Once your baby is interacting with other children, it will be especially important to keep her fingernails short, so she doesn’t accidentally hurt a fellow little one.
11 Tips for Trimming Your Baby’s Nails
Here are some tips and tricks for trimming your baby’s fingernails:
Get help
Until you get the hang of it, it might help to have someone holding your baby while you trim his nails.
Get into a good position
If you don’t have help, try putting your baby in your lap, while you’re sitting in a comfy chair or glider. You’ll want to get into a position that gives you good leverage to do the job right. If you find having your baby in your lap doesn’t work, try something else, like placing him on a changing table.
Pick the right time
You might like to trim your baby’s fingernails after a bath when he is calm and relaxed. Or, you might wait until he’s asleep in his crib to do the trimming secretly—before he notices!
Get the lighting right
You’ll want to make sure you can see everything you’re doing. So, for example, use a desk lamp that can be directed to your baby’s hands, or cut your baby’s nails in daylight. Trimming your baby’s nails in low light makes it harder for you to see and can lead to an accident.
Hold your baby’s hand
You’ll want to grasp your baby’s palm and the finger that you’ll be trimming the fingernail of with one hand while you clip using your other hand. This helps ensure you keep the finger nice and steady.
Have the right equipment on hand
Use baby nail clippers or a pair of toenail scissors with a blunt tip so that you don’t accidentally poke your little one. If you’re nervous about using either of these you could simply file your baby’s nails with an emery board.
Keep the nails short and smooth
Be sure to cut the nails short and file the edges so that they’re round and not jagged.
Be prepared in case of an accident
No matter how careful you are, you may accidentally cut the tip of your child’s finger. Have a sterile gauze pad nearby and use it to apply pressure to the finger to stop the bleeding. Putting a bandage on your baby’s finger is a not a good idea because when he put his fingers in his mouth, the bandage might come off and present a choking hazard.
Trim often
Your baby’s fingernails will grow quickly, especially in the early weeks, so you may need trim at least twice a week. As you get more practiced at it, you’ll be finished before you know it.
Do not bite your baby’s nails
You may have heard that some parents opt to bite their baby’s nails as a way of trimming them, but this is not safe as it can lead to your baby’s fingers becoming infected.
Don’t forget the toenails
Your baby’s toenails grow more slowly than his fingernails, so you won’t need to trim them as often—once or twice every month will do. In some cases, it may look like your baby has ingrown toenails, but that’s because the toenails are so small and soft. However, if the skin around the nail is red, hard, or swollen, then the toenail may be ingrown. In this case, see your baby’s healthcare provider.