So you’ve finally mastered bathing, feeding, diaper changing and sleeping (or lack thereof). But then you see that your baby’s nails are entering claw territory. Next challenge: Trimming those itty-bitty nails. You’ve got this.
What you’ll need: A (non-metal) nail file or a pair of baby scissors with rounded tips.
What to do: Here’s the trick—wait until your tiny tot is sleeping before cutting her nails to minimize squirminess. Snoozing peacefully? Great, now you can get to work. Doctors recommend using only a nail file in the first few weeks since a newborn’s nails are super soft. (You can continue using an emery board even when your baby is older, but it’ll take a while.) When you’re ready to use the scissors, hold your infant’s hand firmly in place and gently press the finger pads away from the nail to cut along the curve of the finger. For the toes, cut straight across. Repeat process as needed. (Baby’s nails grow quickly, so you might have to do this a couple times a week.)
One last thing: If you do happen to accidentally nick a finger or toe, don’t panic. Just apply gentle pressure with a clean, lint-free cloth until the bleeding stops.
