Cutting baby nails

I hate doing this...I nicked DD the other night because she jerked here hand and I felt so awful. I did that to my dog once and since then I've sent him to the groomer to get them done. Clearly, I don't have the same option here
Any tricks? Should I do it when she's asleep? She's an awful napper, so I hate doing anything that might wake her.

Re: Cutting baby nails

I do them when ds is either napping or when taking his night time cup.

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When she was little I did it when she slept...ugh, I remember being so nervous the first few times to hurt her.

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i do it while he is taking his bottle

i just make sure i slide the clipper between his nail and skin from the side and ive never had a problem

i DID cut his thumb once when he was about 4 weeks we both cried

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This is why I still file DS's nails and he just turned one I am petrified of cutting him so I file his nails once a week.

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DD has gotten more calm about me cutting her nails. I did it this morning when DH was getting ready for work and we were all in the bathroom together (DD loves the lights and mirrors and the sound of the bathroom fan -- oh, and of course when Daddy is around to coo at her). I did both hands with NO crying for the first time ever! Usually she'll cry when I hold her hand steady and start and then stop when she realizes it's no big deal. I found trying to hold her while I do it is nearly impossible, so it's much easier if she's in a bouncy seat or her newborn rocker.

Re: Cutting baby nails

Posted by maymama

i DID cut his thumb once when he was about 4 weeks we both cried

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I hate cutting DS's nails. I cut him once, and felt like a horrible mother. He was asleep, and jumped in his sleep. I sat there and cried for hours. Now, it's a mission to cut his nails. I literally work a sweat trying to get him to sit still for a second.

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This is why I used a baby nail file for a while

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Re: Cutting baby nails

Posted by MayBbaby21

I hate doing this...I nicked DD the other night because she jerked here hand and I felt so awful. I did that to my dog once and since then I've sent him to the groomer to get them done. Clearly, I don't have the same option here
Any tricks? Should I do it when she's asleep? She's an awful napper, so I hate doing anything that might wake her.

Re: Cutting baby nails

I initially tried to cut DS' nails while he slept, but he would wake up and then I'd be my head over having woken him up, lol.

I started filing his nails and it was MUCH much easier.

Once he was a bit older, like 6-8 months or so, I started cutting them. I just cut them last night and after a couple of fingers he wants nothing to do with it, so it's a bit of a struggle (lots of singing and bouncing and distracting, lol) to get them all clipped, but at this age, it's faster to clip them than to file them.

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When they are sleeping is best. I can't get dd's toenails though. she's extremely tickleish and feels everything on her feet. Sleeping or not lol

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I nipped him once and felt soooo bad. DH did it when he was an infant. He has more of a steady hand.

Now he's a toddler so it's much easier and I always do it

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I can only cut dd's nails when shes sleeping she goes nuts as soon as she spots the nail scissor

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Posted by Atlast07

This is why I still file DS's nails and he just turned one I am petrified of cutting him so I file his nails once a week.

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I try to catch him in a good mood. I start out by showing him the clipper and show him my hand and how I clip my own nail. Then I tell him I'm going to clip his nails later. Put everything away, let him play. Then come back 10 minutes later and ask him are you ready to clip nails?

I warn him, that he has to be still or I will hold his hand very tight. I do not give him an option out of it once we start. I ask him to help, by holding something or tell him look at your hands, can you point your finger? or even let him look at a book or something, how many fingers, or do "this little piggie" and elaborate on what the piggies do.

I learned to do this from a parenting book and talking to other parents who do this. At first it wasn't easy, but once he learned the pattern he knows what to expect and complies really well.

I really feel your pain on this, I was there and I was in agony every time his nails got too long I can remember wanting to start a thread on this many times after frustrations early on... I used to try to do it:

when he was sleeping worked till about 3m
watching tv worked till about 8m
drinking milk - fail
eating puffs/mum mums - fail
distraction by daddy - major fail

At 8m I found this way to do it, and so grateful I did, because now its easy, we do have hiccups life isn't perfect. But I don't punish or anything, just try another time.

Re: Cutting baby nails

Posted by Atlast07

This is why I still file DS's nails and he just turned one I am petrified of cutting him so I file his nails once a week.

Re: Cutting baby nails

We filed her nails for the longest time. I did do when she slept.

Now she sleeps in her crib, naps and bedtime, So I have to do it when she's awake. If it's just me I give her something she's not supposed to have (remote control usually doe the trick Then i have to stop on and off. and just hold her hand tight.
The other night dh was holding her and playing with er so I did it then.

I cut her once, in the beginning and couldn't get it to stop bleeding. There was blood everywhere. I didn't know it until I went to put her down for a nap. I saw blood on her bumpers. I put a band aid on it until she woke up then took it off b/c she tried to eat it.

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I make DH do it.
I nicked her once and it would NOT stop bleeding.
I was freaking out.
never again!

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When DS was little I did it when he was sleeping. Even in the carseat sometimes. Then he went through a bad period where I would dread it, he was bad at letting me do it. Now I have to be quick and sing 75 songs at the same time to keep him distracted.

Re: Cutting baby nails

Posted by MayBbaby21

Posted by maymama

i DID cut his thumb once when he was about 4 weeks we both cried

I got her thumb. I felt like the worst mommy in the world.

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I used to do it while he was getting a bottle. DH would hold him and I would clip the nails. worked well for us.

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I use an emry board. It works great and she doesn't mind. Just go slow and use a tiny one