Clipping Your Baby’s Fingernails and Toenails

Fingernails and toesnails both require special attention and care. It is very important to begin taking care of your child’s fingernails and toenails from the begining. This ussually starts just a few weeks after birth.

For the first three to five weeks after birth your child’s fingernails and toenails both will be paper thin. In fact, they will be so delicate that even nail clippers or nail scissors could damage them. At birth, your baby’s nails may be very long. It is a newborns instinct to dig and scratch at their face. This often will leave tiny dig marks and scrathes on baby’s facial skin.

To prevent your baby from harming their face in the first weeks of life it is a wise idea to use baby mittens, or long sleeved undershirts which have mitten like flaps at the ends of the sleeves. These flaps are easily folded over to create the mitten effect. This creates a layer of soft fabric between those sharp little nails and baby’s sensitive face. Sleepers and long sleeved outfits can be purchased with the mitten sleeves as well.

Once your child’s nails are hard enough, and develpoed enough for trimming you can begin your nail care routine. You can get little tiny baby nail clippers at most any drug store. Baby’s nails will need to be trimmed approxamatly once per week. It is easiest to preform this task while baby is sleeping.

Trimming baby’s nails is not that hard to do. Actually, it is very simple. In one hand have the clippers in clipping position. Use your other hand to very gentle grasp baby’s finger. Then clip. Follow the same instructions for toenails.

Remember though, you don’t want to clip down too far. The clippers should be set to clip right after the line where the nail grows out, not before it. Before the line on baby’s nail where the nail grows out is very sensitive skin. If this skin is accidently cut, just like in an adult, it will bleed and cause pain.