If your baby’s tiny and delicate fingers are leaving marks on your skin, it’s time to cut its nails. Don’t worry! You are certainly not alone.

It can be a daunting task to cut your baby nails for the first time. After all, what if you hurt it or worse what if it bleeds?

Well, you can heave a sigh of relief because there is absolutely no dearth of tips and tricks for trimming your baby’s nails. Go through this guide, and you will be an expert in no time!

Why should you trim your baby’s nails?

Firstly, let’s answer why it is pertinent to trim your baby’s nails.

1. If you have ever handled a six-month-old pulling your lips or even a newborn with flailing arms, you know just what we are talking about when we say that the nails are pretty sharp and can hurt.
2. Unfortunately, muscle control isn’t fully developed until much later. So, young babies don’t really have control over their fingers.
3. If the nails aren’t cut well, they might even scratch themselves in the most vulnerable places like near their eyes.
4. You will be astonished by how fast baby’s nails grow. Some moms even have to trim them every few days.

How to trim your baby’s nails?

Every parent is unique, and every baby is special. So, there isn’t really a one-size-fits-all approach, and everything really boils down to what suits you and your baby the most.

For instance, some moms trim their baby’s nails on their own, some need their partner’s assistance, some do it while feeding, and there are yet others who do it while the baby is sleeping.

However, here are a couple of tips to ensure a safe experience –

1.  Find a place that works the best

It can be on the rocker or even when the baby is baby is fast asleep on the bed. Your comfort and your baby’s safety matter the most.

2.  Do it in a well-lit surrounding

Don’t ever try to trim your baby’s nails in a dimly lit room or somewhere where you aren’t clearly able to see what you are doing. A good idea would be to sit by a window or near a lamp.

3.  Trim nails after a bath

It would be way easier for you to cut your baby’s nails after a bath. This is because they will be softer and more convenient to clip.

Which tool should you use?

There are a lot of options available. However, you should go with the one that fits your baby’s needs.

1.  Clippers

One of the main reasons why clippers are so popular is because we use them on our nails. Moreover, the chances of cutting a finger off are pretty slim with clippers.

A good idea would be to choose a clipper which either has –

• Mini size and is thus custom made for tiny fingernails.
• A large handle making it pretty easy to hold with larger hands

This Mothercare Ergonomic Nail Clipper has the best of both worlds.

2.  Scissors

While not every mom may be brave enough to go for a pair of scissors, there are plenty who swear by it. You should look for a pair with blunt edges as they are specifically suited for babies. One of the perks of using scissors is that you can see exactly where you are going.

This Pigeon Nail Scissor has fantastic reviews.

3.  File

Filing is absolutely the safest option out there. Imagine how wrong would you have to go to make your baby bleed while filing. Some moms even say that a filer didn’t do anything for their baby’s nails.

However, if you are dealing with a squirmy four or five-month-old, it might be the best option for you. The nails of babies under one month of age should be exclusively filed.

This Nivra New Baby Nail Filer might be the right fit for you.

Step-by-step procedure for trimming your baby’s nails

Though the procedure of trimming your baby’s nails is pretty much the same whether you are using a clipper, file or a pair of scissors, it might be perplexing at first.

Here are the steps to ensure a smooth experience –

1.  Keep the finger still

Be firm yet gentle. You should have a good hold on the finger, and the finger should be kept still.

2.  Create some space for the tool

Gently push the fingertip away from the nail. This will create some space for using the nail-trimming tool.

3.  Be cautious

Don’t go beyond the white line on the nail. Even if you are using a file, only do so till that line.

4.  Go straight across on toenails

You can follow the same procedure while trimming toenails as well. However, instead of cutting the nail in a curve, do so in a straight line.

What should you steer away from?

1.  Don’t bite off your baby’s nails.

Even when you don’t have a tool around you, don’t bit off your baby’s nails. The germs from your mouth can lead to viral or bacterial infections. Moreover, it is quite likely to leave sharp edges behind too.

2.  Don’t pull off the nail.

No matter how small the action is, never try to pull off your baby’s nails. This can lead to ingrown nails which can be extremely painful and can even lead to infections.

Finally, despite your best attempts, you might cut the skin of your baby. Even though it can be perturbing, there is no need to rush to the emergency room and staying calm is the key here. Rinsing the finger under cold and gentle water will stop the bleeding. Then, wrap a tissue around it with a little pressure. However, don’t use a bandage as it can lead to choking hazard in babies.

Cutting your baby’s nails for the first time can indeed be an intimidating experience. Yet, no matter which parenting hurdle you are facing, Ninio baby is always by your side because we care.