Cutting Babies Nails

[SuperWoman]

:eek: :eek: Hi, my almost 8 week old son needs to have his nails cut, and being a first time mummy im a little scared to do it. Is it best to do when he is asleep? Need some advice, PLEASE!!!!!!!:eek: :eek:

[Baby Girl]

Because they are so soft at this age the best thing to do is to bite them - I know it sounds terrible :eek:

If you just hold his hand so his fingers curl around one of your and give him lots of kisses on his finger tips you can have a bit of a nibble on one side and get it started and then just gently tear it accross IYKWIM - be careful not to bite it too short and make sure you don't just rip it accross to get the length off, be a little gentle and careful as the nail can tear too low and make the nail bed tender.

Once bubs nails get a bit tougher and not so paperlike you can still bite them or you can then use baby clippers. Until the nails are stronger than rice paper the clippers just seem to fold and pull them rather than cut them.

[poshBecks]

Because they are so soft at this age the best thing to do is to bite them - I know it sounds terrible :eek:
.
I was told not to do that!!!

I have trimmed both my little ones with baby nail clippers from day dot. But yes do it while they are asleep & be very careful. If it's easier for you maybe u could file them for the first time.

Good luck :)

[drewid]

Filing is good for getting rid of those nasty corner pointy bits! Ouch!

I found a great way was to put bub in the front carry pouch and cut the nails that way - so i had two hands to do it and he was nice and relaxed. I could never do it while he was asleep, I didn't want to risk waking him up! :D

Nowadays it is next to IMPOSSIBLE to cut his nails, so I am to cut one or two every few days and try to keep them in check! They just grow soooooo fast!

[poshBecks]

Nowadays it is next to IMPOSSIBLE to cut his nails, so I am to cut one or two every few days and try to keep them in check! They just grow soooooo fast!
He he he I remember that stage too!!!! I distract ds with Hi-5!!! :D

[drewid]

I wish tv would work as a distraction! Andrew doesn't give 2 hoots about TV...which I think is odd. But shan't complain :)

He likes to bite his fingers so I find that sometimes he tears one a bit and I can rip the rest of very quickly before he realises! :D

[addictedtobabe]

When my babe was little I used to cut them or bite them when he was feeding as he was very relaxed then...easiest was if DH cut whilst I fed. Now it's a nightmare they seem to need cutting every few days and he just wriggles and is far too interested in the scissors:eek:

[PinkBinkie]

:eek:

I tried using nail clippers a few times. The last time I tried I ended up getting bubby's skin and cutting that instead of the nail. So painful for the little darling and I felt awful, as you can imagine. So now I bite her nails. I don't think I'll be using clippers for quite some time! So be careful and go slow. Has this happened to anyone else?

[Refresh]

I agree - bite them....much easier and safer. I did it with both my boys:)

[Rockett]

Yes,I have done that too Bubbalucy,when DD was just a few months old.It was awful...for her and me! :o
I find normal nail clippers easier to use than the baby ones,the baby ones have that safety edge thingy and I find it gets in the way of getting under the nail properly and that meant I was getting a clipper full of skin instead of the nail.:eek:

[Lallas' Mum]

I found cutting bub's nails while they were sleeping to be the easiest way. I used the Tommee Tippee set that has the clippers and baby files in them. With my first son I used to also do them while he was feeding (BF). I would pop a pillow under his head to support him and to free up both my hands and then I cut his nails and he wouldn't care less what I was doing to him providing he was getting a feed.
I was told to bite them by a midwife but my teeth are too uneven to do them properly and I don't imagine it would be the most hygenic way either.

[melfunction]

I use to do them while he was asleep, but now he sits on my lap and waits for me to finish. Its the only time he sits still....

[Mum2Lucas]

I'd say bite them but if your baby is really fidgety maybe do it when they're asleep. Thats what i do because lucas is so fidgety. or file them when they're asleep.

[RynosMummy]

:eek:

I tried using nail clippers a few times. The last time I tried I ended up getting bubby's skin and cutting that instead of the nail. So painful for the little darling and I felt awful, as you can imagine. So now I bite her nails. I don't think I'll be using clippers for quite some time! So be careful and go slow. Has this happened to anyone else?


Has happened to me - i cut the whole top of DS thumb off, and he screamed :( i felt terrible!!! Then i had to pull the flap of skin off (after mother in law found it!!)
So now i am soooooooo careful, haven't cut him again and hopefully never will (fingers crossed)

[SuperWoman]

THANX 4 THE ADVICE. I WILL TRY THOSE THINGS 2DAY. HOPEFULLY I CAN GET THEM SHORTER AS HIS SCRATCHING REALLY HURTS NOW (OUCH!!)

WILL LET U KNOW HOW I GO!:eek:

[zenifa]

Has happened to me - i cut the whole top of DS thumb off, and he screamed :( i felt terrible!!! Then i had to pull the flap of skin off (after mother in law found it!!)
So now i am soooooooo careful, haven't cut him again and hopefully never will (fingers crossed)


RynosMummy and Bubbalucy - you are not alone
I used to bite DD's nails for the first few months, then they got harder and sharper. One morning DH decided to clip them and cut a little chunk out of her left index finger, she screamed and i cried when I saw the blood (yes I'm a wuss) . He has not cut them since. I do use clippers (very carefully) and then file so the corners not so sharp.

[SH3LBY]

Biting is the way to go... The other thing is that I've noticed a lot of little dangly bits of nail hanging and just nip them off for him. At one stage we had to put mits on him as he was scratching his face, but biting his nails for him seems to do the trick.

[xkwzit]

Hi All
I found when DDs were little, their fingernails were so soft, I could peel them off easily. They would tend to sort of break away once they were a little longer than their fingers and I would just peel them off once they had ripped a little. Clippers/scissors can wait until the nails are harder.

Cheers

[SuperWoman]

HI GUESS WHAT? I GOT 3 NAILS DONE. I TRIED WHILE FEEDING HIM BUT HE IS A BIT FIDGETY SO WHILE HE WAS DOZING OFF I STARTED TO USE MY TEETH! IT WORKED, SO I WILL TRY THE REST TODAY!! THANX FOR THE TIPS!:p ;)

[Baby Girl]

Well done - it gets easier the more you do it - I had so much trouble with DD1 that DP's aunty used to do it but with DD2 I was a whizz!!

[Kirstlea]

My mother used to my bite my nails and guess what I am 37 and still bite my nails god dam it:(

So on that principal alone I refuse to bite my dds nails.

I tried the baby nail cutters at first but was terrified on hurting dd so gave up and bought a small pair of nail scissors which I still use 2.5 yrs later. I find I have better control and can see what I am doing. DD thinks its great 95% of the time.:)