15 Apr A How-To Guide on Trimming Your Baby’s Nails with a Nail Snail.

Trimming a baby’s nails for the first time can be an anxious moment. Their fingers are so small and precious that you might worry whether you’re going to do them more harm than good. But don’t stress: with a bit of patience and care you’ll soon work out what works best for both of you

What you’ll need

Good light

A Nail Snail

A baby with nails that need trimming

Nail Snail
1. Timing

As with most things regarding your baby, timing is everything. Pick a time when baby is calm, and not tired or hungry.

2. Pick a spot

Nail trimming is delicate work, so a well-lit environment works best. Somewhere that you’re seated is also perfect since you’ll want to be comfortable and steady.

3. Assistance & Distraction

It can help if you have help! If your baby is offering a bit of resistance, see whether you can get someone to hold them still or occupy them. A iPad can work wonders.

4. Hold firmly

Hold their fingers between your thumb and forefinger. Even if baby squirms and gets uncomfortable, you will need to be quite firm.

5. Use the under-nail cleaner first

This will help to lift the nails, seperate the nail from the nail bed, and make it white and easier to see exactly how much nail you need to trim off.

6. Cut away from you

Hold your baby’s fingers pointing away from you so you can see where you’re cutting.

7. Fingers and toes

File or cut fingernails with the curve of the fingertip. Toenails should be cut straight across. Any rough edges or points can be filed down afterwards, so don’t worry about getting it perfect.

8. Calm and soothe

If your baby is awake, soothe them and keep them focused on your voice and face. Sing or talk to them to keep their mind off the job at hand. Offer a treat at the end for a job well done.

Tips:

Very young babies need special attention paid to their nails. Since babies up to six weeks old can’t control their movements, and up to about 4-6 months those movements lack specific intent, it’s quite common for babies to scratch their faces

Baby can be born with long nails. There is no need to use mitten, these will hinder your babies tactile development. A Nail Snail is suitable to be used on newborns and even premature babies.

Baby nails grow quite fast, so make sure you monitor their growth rate to keep track of how often they need a trim. This may be once a week.

A bath will help soften your baby’s nails and make them easier to trim.

Don’t bite your baby’s nails. This can spread germs from your mouth and can tear and damage you babies delicate nail bed.

Remember to praise your child when you’re finished. This reinforces the positivity of the experience and rewards you both with lots of smiles.

About the Author

Julia Christie is the CEO of Christie and Christie and the Inventor of the Nail Snail 3-in-1 Baby Nail Trimmer.
She is a wife and mother to three children. She loves walking with her family and pup on the beach, keeps fit swimming in the pool, dancing at Zumba and gets creative with pottery.

Website: https://www.nail-snail.com

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