Thankfully, after centuries of hygienic product development, as well as the thinness of Baby’s little nails, trimming those little daggers should be relatively easy. That doesn’t mean it isn’t important to take care when doing so, though, both for Baby‘s safety and your own.
The timing
Sitting still probably isn’t exactly a hobby of Baby’s. That’s why lots of parents perform nail trimmings while their babies are asleep. You can also try trimming Baby’s nails any other time they’re calm or when you have multiple adults to help stabilize and keep those little fingers and toes still.
The tools
For Baby’s first few weeks out of the womb, their nails should be soft enough to file down with a nail file gently. You can use a simple one or one with a gentle motor. But soon enough, a pair of nail scissors or clippers designed to tackle the tiniest digits will be faster and more effective for most babies. There are a lot of choices out there, but any will work with practice. Nail clippers with a light or safety guard aren’t a guarantee of safety, but they can give you some peace of mind if you’re feeling nervous!
The technique
Once the trimming begins, you should cut each fingernail along the curve of the finger. (Toenails can be cut straight across.) Good lighting is essential so that you can see where the nail ends and the cuticle begins. But if you accidentally nick a nail bed, wash the cut under with soap and water and hold a clean paper towel or paper towels in place with firm pressure: this should stop any bleeding within a few minutes. Finally, when the job is done, give any nails with sharp edges a quick go-over with a nail file and voila! You did it! And if Baby grows nails like most babies, you’ll get another chance to perfect your trimming technique within about a week.
Check out this video for more on nail trimming.
Sources
- Larissa Hirsch. “Trimming Your Baby’s Nails.” Kids Health. The Nemours Foundation, October 2013. Retrieved June 28 2017. http://kidshealth.org/en/parents/trimming-nails.html.
- “Nails, Nails Everywhere!” Healthy Children. American Academy of Pediatrics, November 2 2009. Retrieved June 28 2017. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/bathing-skin-care/Pages/Nails-Nails-Everywhere.aspx.
