Welcome to the world of parenting. Here you can learn about your newborn’s development week by week and get ideas about toys and activities to share with your new baby. We have advice on the best way to keep your baby safe , as well as tried and tested tips for soothing a fussy baby
Nail care for your newborn
Do you get nervous when faced with the delicate task of trimming your newborns nails? Well join the club! Here are some tips to help!
Newborn babies enter this world with quite long nails so from day one you're faced with this daunting task. Nails continue to grow rapidly all throughout childhood, so it's good practice to establish a positive routine and become skilled in this task. You will find that your baby's nails need frequent trimming as they grow very quickly. Babies have little control over their arms and they can accidentally scratch themselves if nails aren't trimmed.
Equipment:
- One pair of baby nail clippers or scissors. These are specially designed for using on babies. They are small and have rounded edges which make it safer and easier to use on delicate baby nails
- Fairly smooth emery board (optional)
Tips on how to cut nails
- Firstly, take a deep breath and relax. It can be a bit scary at first because we all worry about cutting fingers instead of nails.
- Place your newborn on your lap with her head snuggled into your chest and with her facing away from you. Using your thumb and forefinger to hold your baby's finger; gently position the baby scissors or clippers under the nail and check to see if it is nail and not skin before you cut. Start with trimming off tiny pieces until you feel confident about doing it.
- For fingernails cut along the curve, for toenails cut in a straight line.
- If you are too nervous or your baby is very wriggly, you could try and trim the nails while your baby is asleep or just after a feed when she is feeling drowsy. Nails are softer after a bath.
- Remember to trim your baby's toenails as well.
- If you are uncomfortable using scissors or clippers, you could use a fairly smooth emery board and try to very gently file down the rough pieces - (this takes patience).
- Praise your baby when you are finished. And give yourself a pat on the back for finishing a very tricky task!
What if I do cut my baby's finger?
Unfortunately most of us parents have done this at some time. If you do accidentally cut your baby's finger, apply gentle pressure with a piece of clean gauze or tissue until the bleeding stops and give your baby a big cuddle. Do not put a bandaid on your baby's finger in case it comes off in your baby's mouth.Related Tips
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