The nails of a baby are some of the most adorable parts of their bodies. Of course, there are other parts that beat this but our focus in this discourse will be on baby’s nails. Getting the right baby nail clippers, to be precise.
Also, the fingers are some parts of the body that visits the mouth frequently. So, you’ll agree with me that the importance of grooming the nails of babies cannot be overemphasized.
Not only do overgrown, dirty and unkempt nails give both the baby and mother an untidy and irresponsible look, but they also breed germs that are harmful and detrimental to the health of the baby.
Therefore, you’ll agree with me that keeping the nails of your baby short, neat and well-groomed gives off an attractive and responsible aura. It also goes a long way in keeping your baby healthy and away from the hospital.
Are you confused about the available options of baby nail clippers for grooming the nails of your baby? Not to worry.
There are many types of baby nail clippers available in the market to help you clip the nails of your baby to the desired length safely and quickly.
Making use of the ideal nail clippers for your baby will help ensure against accidents while clipping, and also give you the desired nail length.
Baby Nail Clippers: What Are They?
Simply put, baby nail clippers are equipment operated manually which are used to trim the tiny nails of babies.
We are focusing on these unique baby nail clippers because they are designed specifically to be used on little fingers, just like those of babies.
Why do I need to trim the nails of my baby?
Studies have shown that the nails of newborn babies tend to be flexible, soft and grow very quickly. If they are not given proper care and attention, they tend to become unkempt and long very easily.
This is when the worry that the baby might use them to scratch his tender skin comes in. The tendency of a baby to scratch his delicate skin, especially his face is high during the first few weeks after his birth when he has no control over his movements.
Based on this, it is highly advised that you ensure that the nails of your baby are kept short and neat to curtail the incidences of scratched skin.
Alternatively, you can wear socks or any other suitable cover over the hands of the baby for a short period of time till you’re ready to groom the nails.
However, you should be careful not to use these suitable covers on the baby’s hands for a long period of time so that the baby can naturally learn how to make use of his fingers to feel and explore.
What is the grooming duration?
While the fingernails of a baby grow very fast that they might need to be trimmed more than once a week, the toenails tend to grow at a slower pace, making you trim them just a few times in a month.
However, in the early stages after birth, it is usually hard to distinguish which of the nails are growing faster between the fingernails and toenails.
This is because the toenails of newborn babies normally take the contour of the toes and curl over due to the fact that they are extremely thin and soft just after delivery.
Have no worries though, as they advance, the nails will harden and develop free and firmer edges.
How do I trim my baby’s nails to avoid causing bodily harms to him?
The simplest known way of keeping the nails of your baby short in the days after delivery is to use your fingers to just peel off the ends. Scared much? You shouldn’t be because the excess nails will come off effortlessly as a result of his fingernails being very soft.
On the other hand, you can either make use of baby nail scissors, or baby nail clippers that have the ends modified to be round in shape. You can also employ the use of either an emery board or a nail file to file his nails.
If you want to trim the nails before they become hard, filing has been voted as the safest way to take care of them. The role of the emery board is to smoothen out the rough edges that appear after the actual trimming.
The art of making use of baby nail clippers or baby nail scissors to trim the nails of your baby is one that requires patience and utmost carefulness.
You are required to press the finger pad away from the nail to prevent hurting his skin. Also, ensure that your hold on his hand is firm while you cut.
You should know that:
Trimming your baby’s nails too low can result in the bleeding of the tip of your baby’s finger. This is not good, as it increases the chances of the baby getting infected. Therefore, it is up to you to discover a way to trim his nails that will not lead to hurting him.
Do not worry, however, if you injure his skin in the process of trimming the nails. All you need do is to gently place a piece of slightly wet, clean cotton wool over the cut and apply a little pressure. This will surely stop the bleeding. Avoid making use of plaster, as your baby might place his fingers in his mouth and possibly choke on it.
When do I trim my baby’s nails?
If you are a new mom having some difficulties with controlling the movements of your baby, it will be easier for you if someone else is around to hold down the baby and prevent him from moving so much while the trimming is going on.
You can also try out trimming the nails when the baby is calm. For instance, when he is either sleeping or feeding. While trimming your baby’s nails, trim around the curve of his fingers and those of his toes straight across.
However, make sure that they are not cut too short. Cutting down the sides of his toenails might lead to ingrown nails, so avoid it. Also, avoid probing into the sides of his nails. This might make his nails prone to infections.
Do not ever trim your baby’s nails by biting them! It is never a good idea as you can be introducing germs from your mouth into any tiny cut your baby may have on his finger. This can lead to an infection.
Types Of Baby Nail Clippers
There is a huge array of baby nail clippers available in the market, so much so that they all suit the taste of every baby and parent. To avoid hurting your baby in the process of keeping his nails short and tidy, you will be needing the best available baby nail clippers to carry out the task.
In sharp contrast to the adult nail clippers which comes in one size but still caters for the needs of all adults, baby nail clippers have various types. There are a lot of options to choose from when it comes to baby nail clippers.
While the conventional nail clippers are available, you can also go for the nail scissors or a battery-powered unit designed especially for trimming and filing the nails of your baby.
During the early weeks, nail scissors are highly recommended for use because the nails of the baby are very thin. It gives you the option of cutting just the edges of the nails and then, peeling off the nails.
Yes! It’s as simple as that!
You also clearly see what you’re doing, as the nail scissors offers you better viewing chances while you trim.
A prominent disadvantage of using nail scissors, however, is that their usefulness fades away as the baby grows older. While nail scissors offer you just a few months of service, nail clippers last all the way for years on end.
When it comes to trimming the toenails, we recommend that you make use of clippers. This is because the toenails are thicker than the fingernails.
In addition, since the toenails do not constitute health hazard as quickly as fingernails, you might not be needing to cut them till they grow older a bit. There are standard nail clippers available for newborn babies; these come in much smaller sizes.
Parents who go to the extreme for the safety of their babies will go for the electronic nail files while those who just want to trim their babies’ nails casually will settle for the baby-sized nail scissors.
Extra Features Of Baby Nail Clippers
With the advancement in technology and development of the world today, a lot has changed and of course, some features have been added to the conventional baby clippers you used to know back in the day. Outlined below are some of the amazing features that are now available on baby nail clippers.
– LED Light
This light located at the end of the nail clippers lets you see what you’re doing on your baby’s nails. It is especially ideal for use in the dark. Yes! Babies tend to sleep off easily in the dark compared to when they’re staring at the full glaring lights.
You can turn off the lights, wait for them to fall asleep before trimming their nails while you won’t engage in any forms of struggles with them. Killing two birds with one stone, right?
– Battery Power
If you feel too lazy to do anything sometimes, then, this is for you. This battery-powered nail clipper does the actual trimming work for you with the aid of its battery power. All you have to do is to just hold the finger of the baby up against the trimmer as the machine trims away!
– Magnifying Glasses
In some clippers, a little magnifying glass is attached to enable you have a better view of the work you’re doing. Of course, this helps to prevent cutting your baby’s skin accidentally.
– Fun Designs
Some funny colors and characters are splashed on the handles of nail clippers to help loosen up the mood of the baby whenever it’s time to trim their nails.
– Emery Boards
Emery board is attached to some nail clippers to help you smoothen out any rough edges that appeared on the nails as a result of the trimming.
You’ll notice that if these rough edges are left unattended, the baby might end up scratching his delicate skin. You might have some difficulties while handling the emery board at first, but it’ll become a part of you with frequent use.
– Spy Holes
Just like the LED light and magnifying glass, a spy hole concerns itself with the safety of the skin of the baby. It ensures against accidents. It is used to view the work you’re doing to avoid accidental injuries.
– Curved Edges
Curved edges in nail clippers helps you avoid cutting unnecessarily. It ensures safety while cutting your baby’s nails. On the other hand, using baby nail clippers with straight edges can be stressful and very tricky.
Conclusion
You cannot get tired of the sets of perfection known as your baby’s cute little fingers and toes? In order to keep them neat and adorable always, you need to trim, cut and groom them.
The art of cutting the nails of a baby is definitely not a walk in the park, but it is always worth it in the end. There are a lot of risks attached to getting these cuties squeaky clean and presentable. From introducing germs into the skin to cutting the skin open.
If you keep looking at the disadvantages, you’ll end up putting your baby in harm’s way. Because he might scratch his skin with the overgrown nails. This is far from being acceptable, right? Shop for the baby nail clippers that suit your taste the most and make use of it when necessary.
Diligently follow our guide above and you’re on your way to being a parent to one of the most adorable babies. However, if you happen to hurt the skin of your baby as you explore, do not feel too bad. The skin of your baby will heal even before you notice that an injury was there.
We hope we have been of great help to you as you start your journey into parenting. Cheers!