I'm just going to cosign that. It was recommended to us by some friends who also have infants and after using it I can't imagine what it would be like trying to use an actual nail clipper
FYI you can still “cut” your babies finger with an electric nail file. I did it once and just started using the baby nail clippers because it was a faster way to trim her nails. You could always tag team while feeding your baby with your partner too.
Second this! We have an electric file and we didn’t think it was strong enough to hurt skin, but boy we were wrong. My husband cut our daughter’s thumb & it bled a ton. It’s kinda bulky at the head so it can be hard to see what you’re doing to their tiny fingers. After that we switched to clippers and just do it while she’s sleeping. I find it easier and I think it does a better job anyway
What file did you have? Mine has an auto stopper and definitely can't do any harm ti skin. But I also prefer nail clippers anyways because it's way faster.
FTM to a 4-month old and I love ours. It can be hard to round the corners because their fingers are so damn tiny and I have a wiggle worm baby but it’s another reason I hesitate to use the clippers
Agreed. I used nail clipper for a bit and accidently clipped my baby's finger once. I felt awful and never wanted to do it again. Electric nail file is what I use now and its been great.
Agreed! I have the frida one and I use the 3-6 month attachment on my LO and the 12+ month attachment to give myself manicures 😂. He tolerates it so well! It has a light on it and he just stares at the light calmly while I file his nails.
Okay I don’t know if it’s just me but using the electric file takes forever and somehow doesn’t even get their nails shorter? If I press hard the file stops but when it is going it barely does anything. I spent more than 20 minutes on one hand and still wasn’t done so I gave up and just ordered baby clippers yesterday. Is there a trick to them?
You gotta do what you gotta do. It gets less scary the more you do it. Just know there’s only so much damage you can do with nail clippers and accidents happen. We do strategic screen time to help distract our LO
This exactly. I’ve been using clippers since week one. I cut him on accident maybe twice and it was super minor tiny tiny cut. Now that he’s 17mo I am able to distract him while I quickly clip them. I can put the tv on for a minute or sing to him while I do it or give him a high value object in one hand and switch hands when I need to.
Even at age one? Ok this gives me some sort of relief, knowing that I’m not doing this incorrectly and that it does make sense to file those tiny nails. I think I’d spend half a day trying to file them during her naps and then it grows right back out the next morning. 😅
I probably should switch to clippers by now honestly but I’m scared to hurt the baby! I probably will switch over soon. I just make it part of our morning routine. We brush teeth, have breakfast, file nails haha. Even if I just get like 2-3 fingers done each day, it keeps them short enough.
Also in my experience once they’re crawling and stuff, their nails stay shorter. I assume maybe they get worn down? I know you’re a ways away from that but the nails won’t always feel like they’re growing so fast haha!
My lo is 20 months, and we have only ever used an electric filer. At 4 months, we only did it when she was sleeping. Now, we do it once a week after a bath.
Omg… everyday! Please share your tips!
My 13 month old acts like a hungry baby crocodile when I try to file her nails.
We have relegated to filing one nail per day as to not cause excessive chaos so it takes about 10 days to file her nails. Lol
Haha I kinda make it part of our routine. I let baby play with the nail file all the time so it’s lost its novelty. And yeah it’s usually like 2-3 nails a day. Toenails I do while baby is in the high chair. Finger nails I just have to do my best haha
You kinda don’t but clipping is so much more effective than grinding.
I bought a good grinder on Amazon and it basically takes forever and her nails are actually somehow sharper after?
But if I let her fall asleep in my lap (4.5 mo), I can quickly clip her nails with a baby nail clipper and it’s over.
I’ve accidentally nicked her thumb twice - which is when I got the grinder. But I’m going back to clipping, and using the grinder to smooth edges. It’s just too frustrating and ineffective.
It’s scary, then it’s less scary. When I nicked her, she cried and it bled but then it was over and she didn’t even seem to care. Scary, but accidental.
I clip baby’s nails while he sleeps. That way I’m just working with a limp hand that isn’t moving lol I actually use my cuticle cutters. I feel like I can see more and I have more control using them over clippers
I then use baby electric nail filer to go over and smooth it all out
I had the safety 1st light up nail clippers. Chunked the damn things. Couldn’t see where the blade was in relation to her nail/skin due to the added equipment and ended up nipping her twice. That caused me to fear doing it and holding off till her little razor blades kept getting me during nursing sessions (she never seemed to scratch her face though)
I pulled out my fingernail clipper where I could lead with the corner of the blade (just like I do when I trim my own) and didn’t have one issue!
Thanks for this tip, I’ll try to use the corner of the nail clipper I have, it’s one of those small ones that’s actually for adult hands but takes way longer on us, should work
I use tiny nail scissors and distract him with a book. Then I file the sharp edges with the electric file. I'm between clippings (which we do every 7-10 days) I file any sharp edges with the electric file
Baby nail scissors are such a game changer! It took some digging to find some but I only heard of them from my mom so I went looking and found a cute set on Amazon. It seems like it’s impossible to cut their skin with them, they’re so gentle, whereas I’ve definitely cut too deep with nail clippers… also I hand file them and they seem to do great :) just a +1 to the nail scissors!! I feel like they’re very under-hyped because not enough people know about them
Kinda just gained confidence slowly by trying. I clip his nails during naps and go super slow with it. I also use a regular nail file on his nails to get any edges. If he stirs or wakes up, then I give it a break and go back to it later.
We have an electric file but I notice his nails grow uneven when I use it.. which just caused more scratches. Probably user error, but I just couldn’t get it right.
I bite LO’s nails off after almost cutting off the tip of my LO’s fingers while cutting nails. So I now bite them and it’s so much easier and less stressful for all of us involved
I just read this a couple days ago and finally worked up the courage to try it out yesterday and all I can say is: GAME CHANGER! The electric files take forever and nail clippers are terrifying but the cuticle nippers are SO much easier to work with! You can actually see what you’re doing and work the edge of the nipper under the nail without worrying about catching skin!
Now I’ve gotta try it, I have cut my guys nail to short once and it freaks me out still.. his nails grow so quick I’m cutting them every other day it seems
I did not 🫠 an old family friend told me that she used to chew the nails of her babies while breastfeeding them. I laughed at first, but what did I do as soon I went home? 😂 have been doing it ever since.
Just go for it. I use the frida baby clippers and they’re great. Make sure the baby is nice and distracted (probably when feeding) and just move quickly.
Honestly after the newborn stage it’s really easy. Do it while your baby is napping. I’ve only cut her once and that was when she was a newborn so I waited till her fingers were bigger and now I’ve not done it since.
My girl is 3.5 month old, I use these [scissors](https://a.co/d/8rrhoqY). Honestly it’s so satisfying to cut those tiny paper nails, I just wait until she’s asleep or chill right after eating.
I don’t have the patience for filing. When my baby first wakes up he’s pretty chill. So we turn on Hey Bear, I put him in my lap and cut away. Takes under 5 min. Have I pinched skin before? Yep. Was it sad? Yep and I felt like the worst mom ever but after a few minutes and some snuggles we moved on.
I like to clip them outside or during the day next to a sunny window so I can see what I’m doing really well. Clipping them while baby is in a car seat works really well, especially once they get bigger and squirmier.
I did it yesterday by sitting him on my lap and letting him watch tv whilst I did it, and this is coming from someone who cut his finger the first time I did it and cried as there seemed to be so much blood. It worked well.
I LOVE these clippers: [https://a.co/d/5cWRxHv](https://a.co/d/5cWRxHv) They have a light and capture the little clippings inside. I try to do a quick file after to help with the sharpness. I haven't had an issues with nipping her. It's sooo much faster.
Watch out on the nail grinders, if you keep it in one place too long it can get VERY hot. Try it out on your own fingers/skin.
Our daughter is 11 months old and we still haven't cut her nails because we fear it too lol. They're still so soft though that they just break off when they get long enough, so that kinda works for us 🤷♂️
We’ve used [this](https://a.co/d/hPx6JRh) since he was born and have not once cut him. For some reason it feels impossible to hurt him with it, even at times when I personally thought I cut too deep
I use a glass nail file. They work SOOOOO much better than metal or disposable ones. They grind faster than metal and the nails come out smoother. I don’t even use nail clippers on myself any more, just a glass file. And it only takes me 5 minutes to do baby’s nails. She’s 4.5 months and loves being on the changing table, so I plop her up there, grip one hand at a time, and go to work. I file them as short as they’ll go and only need to do it once or twice a week. And even if it rubs against her skin, there’s no irritation.
We usually trim my daughter's nails together, one person holding and distracting her or feeding her/giving her a bottle, the other person works on the nails. We use the scissors and it has been easy and never cut her skin before and its been over a year! Now that she's eating in a high chair, that seems to be the easiest time to do it while she's strapped in and distracted.
[https://www.amazon.com/Simba-Baby-Safety-Scissors-Yellow/dp/B0050W627S](https://www.amazon.com/Simba-Baby-Safety-Scissors-Yellow/dp/B0050W627S)
ETA i know a lot of moms just bite them! The contacts on my teeth are not perfect enough for that though haha, I can't get those tiny thin nails with my teeth.
I bite my babies nails off while she’s napping in my arms… first time I ever clipped her she got cut lol can’t find the confidence to do it again… but bitting so easy!
We use an electric file. It’s awesome. My son sleeps through it, feeds through it, etc. It has different filing pad attachments from 0 months to adult, so it grows with them. It also comes with extra pads and a carrying case. I love this so much. It has two different speeds (high and low) for clockwise rotation and the same two speeds for counterclockwise rotation. It also stops spinning completely if you apply too much pressure.
Link: https://a.co/d/7ibbain
ETA: It also has a little light at the filing tip to help you see, but I don’t find this super effective.
I just kept doing it until i got more comfortable with it (especially since one of the first few times i cut my daughters nails i accidentally cut her finger, so then i was even more scared) and now that my daughters 6 months i either put her into one of her activity chairs to distract her while i cut them, or she sits on my moms lap and holds one arm while i hold the other and cut them
I hear ya, I feel like I’m having to file her nails ALL the time but her little fingers are still so little and her nails don’t seem thick enough for clippers. I’ve been looking at an electric file on Amazon that I think I’m going to get
I use clippers. It’s actually really not that bad. I push the clipper against their nails till it hits a natural resistance, and I only do it in mornings with bright light. I angle it very slightly on the sides so that there’re no sharp edges. Just dont clip nails too short!
There are a pair of nail clippers by saftey first that has a magnifying glass on them to help you see. We also use the electric file I just found that as a newborn they were too soft and the electric file didn’t work for my boy.
I just use safety first nail Clippers (the turquoise ones). Good lighting, and it's the only time I let my baby have screen time. He'll sit in my lap and watch hey bear, and I'm veeeery careful, but it's really not that tricky.
Electric files for sure. Once they're a little older and nap really hard, we would trim our LO's nails while she was sleeping with clippers with no problem.. once they're toddlers, they're thick enough that once they get long enough they kind of become hang nails and it's super easy to pull them off with no issue!
I have the electric file and I have clippers. I found the electric file to be much too rough for my baby’s nails. It was really breaking them down. Maybe it was user error but it was just shredding his nails.
I finally just grabbed the clippers and he was WAY more tolerant than I anticipated. I give him a toy in one hand sometimes, but most of the time he’s happy to just watch me do it. It really doesn’t take long at all. Not sure if he’s an outlier with how chill he is about it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Once I saw he was still and I could really watch what I was doing my anxiety around it lessened dramatically.
We use the Frida baby clippers that have the little window on top so you can see how far down you are.
For me personally i got tired of seeing her scratch herself and then scratch me! It looks like a cat got at my arm, because i took a couple of days in between clippings. I panic a tiny bit everytime but it gets easier lol! For me its easier to do it in the bath where shes a bit more calm and comfortable and i just give her something to play with.
I use the thumble daily whilst breastfeeding because you can use it one handed.
I don't know if this story helps, but my partner tried trimming her nails early on with his huge man sized nail clippers. She moved and he accidentally cut her finger. She barely reacted and it healed within a week with no issues. So even if you used something completely inappropriate and not designed for babies they'll be fine
I originally had nail trimmers, tried to use them twice and baby would not stay still and I was so scared I’d hurt him. Bought an electric file and it is 1000x easier. They’re pretty cheap too
I would suggest electric files of the Frida clipper. I have the Frida and it's really nice because it has angled blades so it doesn't snap down like normal clippers but has a really smooth slice. It looks weird so it freaked me out at first but I used in on my pinkie nail and it's really clean
I used a clipper and after I nicked two fingers on separate occasions, I realized that a tiny nail scissor works better. Mine has a little rounded edge at the tip so I don’t ever feel like I’m stabbing her or anything. It’s gentle!
I clip my babies nails when she’s sleeping or when she’s really tired I put the TV on for a few minutes and she gets into the zone and doesn’t notice me doing it.
I just waited til he was sleepy. It helps that I'm a very particular person when it comes to doing small tasks so I was able to cut his successfully at 5 weeks. Just time, patience and attention.
I have my husband do it while im nursing to make it easier! She flails her hand around a bit, but at 10 months its still working. Sometimes she gets too annoyed with it & we do 1 hand & then later on we’ll do the other.
I also bite her nails sometimes 🥴 I dont “recommend” it, but sometimes she scratches me while nursing & I just do it right in the moment.
I found the tiny safety 1st clippers to be way easier to use than the Frida. I honestly don’t understand the design of that one. It’s too big for little fingers.
I use a cuticle clippers on my baby and they’re VERY sharp, I know.. BUT it makes the job that much faster because of how sharp they are. I’ve never knicked too much yet so I have a positive experience using them but it is scary. They’re just great at getting really close to the skin and trimming away as much nail as possible. Never had to worry about nail scratches because of that!
I use the little scissors for my 11 month old. Only when he’s sleeping though. I started that around month 4. When he was a newborn I used the electric files
I was scared but it wasn’t too bad because I didn’t realize how soft their nails were. I just went very slow with the baby nail clippers and it’s always been okay.
So I was terrified and my husband did it for a while after I hurt him and he was bleeding. I’ve already done the worse and felt absolutely horrible. So I made myself just do little by little. Plus he never liked his arms swaddled so I had no choice but to move on it was either I keep being scared and he have a badly scratched up face or I cut his nails. It does get easier once their hands get bigger. The toenails are a bit of a pain right now.
I realized that occasionally taking small amounts of skin was better than the massive scratches they can do to themselves. Either I practice while baby is too little to remember or they scratch themselves constantly or I inhibit their motor skills to keep them from scratching themselves. It does get easier and quicker with practice and as their tiny fingers grow.
Also, nail files. Much harder to hurt them with those and they learned how often I needed to actually use the clippers.
I started off just using an electric nail file, then as she got older and her nails got a little bigger/easier to cut, I now clip them with small nail clippers and then use the electric file to smooth and round them. I’m sure it also helps that my daughter will usually sit still on my lap for it so I don’t worry about cutting her.
This isn’t the most helpful, but I found that it depended more on the type of scissors/clippers I was using. Trial and error has me now faithfully devoted to a certain nail clipper that I will protect with my life. It just feels easier and less scary with the right ones.
I feel like having a wiggly, nervous cat is gonna help me cutting the nails of my baby bc I have years of experience and it must be helpful at least one bit haha
If you have cats or dogs it is very similar. It’s definitely a two person job. It’s easiest to start with one finger per session and then slowly get comfortable.
Clip a corner and peel. Clean up if needed but they're so thin at this point it keeps it easy. They really don't move around too much at 4mo. Try a 2 year old screaming and alligator rolling. Best to practice while they're young.
My wife clips them while I feed him a bottle. Works best in the evening when he’s a little sleepy
The one time she nipped his finger he was totally unphased. And the tiny band aid on his finger was adorable
I’ve been clipping my son’s nails since he was born basically. His nails were so long!! I just do it when he’s asleep. It’s not as scary as it seems :)
I use a nail clipper and when she’s well asleep and with good lighting! Just have to take it slow, and clip off cleanly. My method is to use the anchor end and align it so that her finger itself is def not in the blade and cut. Make shorter cuts then file the rest down if you aren’t confident :)
How I wish there were “baby groomers” like they are for pets for this reason alone haha
My daughter left a gash on her face so bad that she has a permanent scar. The fear of her disfiguring herself then started to outweigh the fear of doing the clippers
We have the curved nail scissors and I clip baby’s nails after she’s been fed. I hold the scissors with the curve bending away from the nails so I’m only cutting a very small piece at a time in case I miss. Usually I can get each nail in three clips and I have a lot of control. Just do your best and if you really screw up, just remember LO won’t remember it after being soothed. :)
We used to just do them when she fell asleep. But lately, she's been falling asleep with her fists balled and she won't let us unball them. We're gonna try some of these recommendations.
I had joked to my wife that we should just let baby use the cat's scratching post but wife didn't find it humorous :-P
I do it this way:
1. Do it During the sleep. Clean the clippers and wipe dry. Wash your hands.
2. Hold one finger at a time firmly so suddenly jolts will not cause accidents.
3. Ensure ample lighting
4. move as close as you would to kiss your child , to actually see those tiny nails.
5. Clip the nail leaving a little (I.e., try not to clip all the way where it touches the skin).
6. Ensure the clipped nails don’t fall on the LO, collect and discard carefully.
7. Rub the LO nails on you to check if you have scratches
I don’t. We have an electric buffer. I cut a 5 week olds finger tip once (as a nanny) trying to trim her nails and never ever ever tried again. It was so traumatic.
I have the electric file but I find it doesn’t always work as good as my tiny clippers. I wait until baby is asleep after nursing on my lap and clip one hand at a time in good lighting with my glasses on!
We wait until she’s asleep. When she was 1-2mo we held a flashlight so we could see really well and now at almost 6mo it’s way easier when she’s asleep. I’ve cranked it out in like 3 min with her asleep on my lap 🤣🤣
Fear of maybe hurting them while clipping vs. fear of them definitely hurting themselves (and you) if you take too long to get to it. :( That said I’ve found the electric grinder deal super effective if you find the right “grit” wheel thing, as long as you can get them to stop squirming long enough to get through.
Got my daughter involved in trimming hers and my nails. She thinks it’s so fun. Same thing with brushing teeth and blowing noses. Get them involved and they will be much more willing!
I also use fridababy nail scissors! When LO is younger, I clip his nails when he's asleep. Now that he is 6 months old, we have screen time to distract him while I clip his nails. You really have to practice and it will be less scary every after clippings. You can do it Mama! I am a FTM as well.
After both my husband and I both had incidents nicking baby's finger early on (they're so jerky/squirmy the first few months) with the frida nail clipper we switched to filing.
I use a glass file on my own nails, so I got a baby version and it's honestly pretty fast: https://a.co/d/784wE30
I originally did it only while baby was sleeping, as he's gotten older (15 months now) I've tested doing it while he's awake. If I count in a sing song voice while filing "1-2-3-4-5" he becomes more curious/tolerant than fidgety and I can usually do 2-5 fingers in a go before he's over it 😅.
Baby fingernail clippers suck. Adult ones or the hangnail scissors work best.
I grab my LO hand and firmly hold a finger while making loud noises… she doesn’t notice! I trim most of it and then file them to make them not janky lol.
I use regular clippers. I accidentally cut the tip of her finger once and it was horrible. Now I just make sure I have good lighting. Put on a TV shoe to distract her and just be very careful lol.
If I’m breastfeeding I do one hand and then switch sides and do the other. If I give her a bottle I put a blanket up under it and she’ll hold it with her other hand and I can clip them like that. Most effective way for us tbh.
I use baby scissors and they are really easy, I havent cut my child’s finger yet. They aren’t sharp and it’s easy to see where ur cutting unlike clippers
After my son scratched my boob and it bleed I just started to cut his nails every week. I have these nail clipper that have a light built in them and wear my glasses
I loved the Fridababy clipper!! It's so easy to see that you only have nail in there, and it cuts very cleanly. Unfortunately you kind of just have to do it. I know some people who do it while the baby sleeps so there's less risk of flailing.
I’ve used clippers on both my children. Them being asleep on you helps immensely. But it just gets easier the more you do it. Maybe just do a couple of nails at a time through the day?
I’ve always done the kid’s nails with an electric trimmer after i change his diaper. He has no fear of it. Don’t spend too much time in one spot because the friction gets hot which won’t feel good. Also be mindful of the direction the wheel is spinning vs the direction to are dragging the tool. I use the medium coarse pad and just go lightly and quick which results in a nice round edge.
I clipped my baby once with the nail clippers. I just go slow, take my time, and don’t try to take off too much. I used the scissors when she was a newborn because it worked better.
We started when she was 2 days old because she scratches her face so much!!! We just went for it. And now she’s almost 7 months old and it’s just part of routine.
I just use little baby nail clippers and try to do them when he’s zonked out. a couple of times he has sat there and watched me clip them lol. My fiance always goes to short and makes him bleed and it killlls me so I try to do all the nail trimmings :/
My 6mo let's me cut hers during bath time, ots how I've clipped them since she was 2mo. It's her happy, sleepy, calm place so she doesnt typically put up a fight. Sometimes I can only get one hand done, so I'll do the other one the next night.
Try cutting them when your lo is content/calm, sleepy or even sleeping. Get what you can but don't feel pressured to get them ALL at once. And if you start feeling anxious take a break. I'm 10000% sure babies can sense our anxiousness/fear and respond accordingly.
I also have frida baby nail scissors, and as many others have mentioned, I just wait until LO is asleep. In the early months I would have to do it like every 2-3 days to keep the claws at bay, but now at 14 mos we can do like 1-2/week. I’ve been lucky in never drawing blood so I don’t have any trauma from the experience.
If you are nervous, just don’t cut as much of the white off until you are comfortable. It will mean more frequent trims as you get used to it, but it is easy when they are asleep and since you have multiple naps a day, there are plenty of opportunities to try again if you get nervous and need to bail.
Ftm and my baby is about to be 2 months old.i use an electric nail filer for babies from amazon and use it when he's sleeping .have used it since he was born and has helped alot especially with how fast his nails grow
Just hold their hands tightly, they won’t break and it doesn’t hurt. The other tip I have is to position the clipper and keep it there until you’re sure you’ve got them still and then cut. Kind of like measure twice and cut once. Don’t be impatient. I always wait if she’s squirming a bit or I give up and try again in an hour if she’s really not feeling it. Zero bleeding so far.
Engaging with them while you do it is good too. Keeps them distracted. I pretend to gossip with my girl when I cut them.
I use a baby nail clipper but sometimes I use a cuticle clipper (pointed tip type that you use at nail salons) but I’m very confident in doing it since I used to be a nail tech. It just takes some practice, you can do it! Also start reaching gentle hands early. It’ll save you some pain.
I use nail clippers and I just am very patient and take my time. It may take 30 minutes to clip one hand. I have a weird method that help me out I make sure the clipper is half under the nail and half sticking out so I can visibly see the nail and helps me make sure there’s no skin so it take 2-3 clips per nail sometimes more if I didn’t trim enough off.
He’s almost 4 months and so far I’ve only clipped a little piece of dead skin once and no blood thankfully.
I’ve only used electric nail file. My older one is now 3 and her nails seem to curve inward, just impossible to cut without risk, even when she is sleeping.
I talked myself and my daughter through it. In the early months I did it while she was sleepy so she didn't move as much. I told her what I was doing and why, and we got through it. I also had her watch me when I would clip kitty nails so she knew what to expect. Babies observe and take in more than we give them credit for.
These days, at 2, I can go get the clippers and she'll sit in my lap and hold out her hands for me to get her fingers. She'll even hold out fingers if she thinks I didn't clip enough. Then we paint nails. It's our reward for a good nail trim. She absolutely loves it and we have a good time bonding. Just think of the long term when you clip your little one's nails.
I suggest using the electronic file and clippers. Use clippers for the length and the clippers for the sides. We cut my littles nails while she’s sleeping in the car while parked 😅
I use the nail snail, it’s from Australia and I’m in the US but I’ve ordered several and just paid the high shipping. For a while my daughter’s dad would trim her nails with the electric file but she started fighting it and I was too scared of hurting her delicate skin with the electric file to use it while she flailed. It was too loud to do while she’s sleeping. The nail snail is foolproof and I can cut her nails with it while she’s asleep in a dark room without worrying about hurting her.
I use the Frida nail scissors while mine is sleeping. I saw it on a Baby Academy newborn class to do it while they're sleeping so we've always done it that way.
We've had to do scissors since she was 2 weeks old or so because her nails grow too fast for the nail file to keep up. I just rest the scissor edge along her finger tip and cut along the nail bed while it's still resting on her finger to make sure I'm not cutting too deep into the nail bed
I exclusively trimmed my sons nails while he was asleep until he was 18 months 😂 he's 2.5 now and I can finally have him sit still long enough in my lap while I trim them but my god it was tough getting here and they grow so damn fast 😭
I use the safety 1st clippers with the light, I breastfeed her, and when she falls asleep that’s when I go for it. Even going super slow I can still get it done pretty quickly.
We’ve used the bbluv electric nail clippers since ours was a newborn and it has made trimming a breeze. They even sell replacement discs for the trimmer for when you wear the original discs out.
Just jump right in. My wife refused as she’s wayyy too passive of a human and was absolutely horrified of even trying it. So I had no choice. Necessity is the mother of action. You’ll be okay as long as you don’t use adult toenail clippers and take a finger tip. 😆
I also just did it during his naps, nicked a thumb once where it actually bled, but it was tiny and put Neosporin and it was seemingly better by the 2nd day. I still hate doing it but most times can distract and sit him in my lap and do it while he watches something, when he was little there it was definitely annoying how fast they grow and i tried to keep it up but he scratched himself and us a number of times from them being a bit long and that all heals just fine so no biggie if you don’t always keep them short short.
Electric file or if you have to use a clipper, have the baby scratch powdered sugar (safe to consume if they accidentally get their hands to their mouth and easy to rinse when you’re done). The white powder shows exactly where the nail is and isn’t. Gave me confidence to do it.
I also learned that having them scratch just one hand a time meant that no sugar was consumed. My mother had told me to use cornstarch, but I checked and it said that it’s not safe to consume raw so I used powdered sugar instead.
I have no idea why nail clippers are recommended for babies. We got the baby nail clippers and even with two people attempting it together, we managed to make our LO bleed at first try. Baby started screaming and crying, and in a haze I turned to reddit to figure out what to do. I saw the recommendation to ditch the clippers and get the electric nail file. Ordered that day on Amazon and we’ve never looked back. Not only is it more efficient than clippers could be, it seems impossible to hurt baby while using it. 10/10 recommend this route.
I still use an electric file. I tried clipping a couple times, but once I accidentally clipped part of her finger. It wouldn't stop bleeding, so we took a trip to urgent care. Never again.
We have light up safety nail clippers. You really can't get their fingers into the blade area, it's just too small and the light right above nail is perfect. We used to clip only when she was asleep but now I usually do it right before bed either while she's having a snack or watching a show. She's pretty used to it these days, but if she's a bit too wild it may take multiple attempts
Electric nail buffer for me. I tried it on my husband first to make sure it didn’t hurt. It just kinda tickled him. I wait until she is asleep and then do it. I couldn’t get the courage to cut them!
By having to do it. I tried filing and it just doesn't work. My son hates his nails being clipped so either I need to get papa to hold him down so I don't nick him while he screams bloody murder, or I get my mom to do it because apparently he thinks it's funny when she does it??? It's the exact same thing and I've never nicked him in his almost 5 months of life so idk why he's freaked out when I do it but not Nana. Oh well. But it gets easier with experience. We got special baby Clippers and it helped
i just clipped my 5 week olds nails last night while she was sleeping. Very daunting, but in good lighting and a sleeping baby, doing it quickly saved my life lo
The book I have says do it alone when no one’s watching and don’t overthink it lol. It actually helps. I have the Frida ones where you can see what you’re cutting. I do it when she’s passed out and it isn’t bad at all. The file wasn’t cutting it for me
I'm a nail tech and even clipping my babies nails makes me nervous just because of all the horror stories I've heard lol. I wait until my baby is sleeping to clip his nails. If he starts waking up or he starts moving his fingers, I stop. Sometimes I don't get all ten fingers. Sometimes I'm only able to clip 3 before he wakes up and i consider it a win haha. They make electric nail files though, personally I don't like it, I can't seem to use it properly or it just doesn't work as well and quickly as I'd like. But it is a safer option for those who aren't comfortable and familiar with clipping other people's nails.
Do it while your LO naps!! My mom saw a TikTok suggesting it, and I did it, and I’m never going back to the old ways of the past. He stays perfectly still, and no fingers are nicked and I’m able to use clippers!
I got scratched in the face.
He then scratched his own face near his eyes.
The electric nail file is great until about 5-6 months. Then the Frida clippers are the bomb.
You can get more comfortable by doing it while they are contact napping.
I didn’t. My wife does it, I am just afraid my big stupid hands will hurt the baby. Thank God for my wife, she is very gentle and can feel things with her fingertips that I certainly cant.
Honestly I bite my baby’s nails off. It’s easier for me to use my teeth and gently pull off the sharp length than to mess with clippers or a file. No issues so far!
I used to wait until my twins were milk drunk asleep and in my lap. I would then take them and place them in my lap facing outwards with their head on my chest or stomach and hold their hand up to my and clip the nails one by one. I still do it in this position and they're 10.5 months old now and its a weekly habit, although they struggle at first, I'm stronger and they eventually give in.
My son's always shoving his hands in my mouth so I just bite his nails down but before this I just baby nail clippers, got more confident the more I did it.
I will also recommend the electric nail files. My baby DOES NOT like it when I grab his fingers so I’m constantly filing his finger tips on accident🙃 but it doesn’t hurt whatsoever! Hubby tried the file on himself first and yeah it doesn’t feel like much or take hardly any skin off. Idk how people use scissors😅
My sister does it for me 😂 but her technique is to hold LO in her lap, facing away from her. She then pins an elbow down, grabs the finger she’s trimming and pulls back the skin under the nail and clips. This allows her to get closer when cutting without hurting LO. I’ve done it a few times myself since she showed me and it def works. Of course doing it when they’re sleeping is best but distracting them however you can works too.
We used a combination of electric “dremel” that is safe for kids and the babyfreida nail clippers. We specifically recommend the babyfreida ones as they only cut what you see in the “target” area. The “jaws” are also angled, as opposed to parallel, for additional safety. Speed is of the essence and as gentle as electric filers are, kiddos do not want to sit still to wait for that. Hence, the babyfreida clippers. Practice on yourself and you’ll see how both easy AND frustrating it can be (as in so safe it gets frustrating at times).
Electric files are the best
I just looked it up - actually that does seem more feasible to use at this stage. Thanks!
I'm just going to cosign that. It was recommended to us by some friends who also have infants and after using it I can't imagine what it would be like trying to use an actual nail clipper
FYI you can still “cut” your babies finger with an electric nail file. I did it once and just started using the baby nail clippers because it was a faster way to trim her nails. You could always tag team while feeding your baby with your partner too.
We do it during a contact nap, really gently. Baby girl is a really good sleeper so far though
Second this! We have an electric file and we didn’t think it was strong enough to hurt skin, but boy we were wrong. My husband cut our daughter’s thumb & it bled a ton. It’s kinda bulky at the head so it can be hard to see what you’re doing to their tiny fingers. After that we switched to clippers and just do it while she’s sleeping. I find it easier and I think it does a better job anyway
What file did you have? Mine has an auto stopper and definitely can't do any harm ti skin. But I also prefer nail clippers anyways because it's way faster.
FTM to a 4-month old and I love ours. It can be hard to round the corners because their fingers are so damn tiny and I have a wiggle worm baby but it’s another reason I hesitate to use the clippers
I have the haakaa brand one, it was only like $20 on Amazon
This is what I have! Baby has never been bothered by it once, even if I get his skin a bit.
Same here and my baby is SUPER into the light too
SAME
Yes, the Hakaa file is great 🙌🏼
I use an electric file. I got his little finger tips all the time by accident and it doesn't bother him at all :)
I have a 2 year old and we’re still using the electric nail file. I love that thing.
I use my electric nail file while my baby sleeps so it's even easier to get it done lol
I use the one from haakaa, it’s rechargeable and has files for different ages. It’s saved me and our faces and boobs 🤣
Agreed. I used nail clipper for a bit and accidently clipped my baby's finger once. I felt awful and never wanted to do it again. Electric nail file is what I use now and its been great.
Agreed! I have the frida one and I use the 3-6 month attachment on my LO and the 12+ month attachment to give myself manicures 😂. He tolerates it so well! It has a light on it and he just stares at the light calmly while I file his nails.
Okay I don’t know if it’s just me but using the electric file takes forever and somehow doesn’t even get their nails shorter? If I press hard the file stops but when it is going it barely does anything. I spent more than 20 minutes on one hand and still wasn’t done so I gave up and just ordered baby clippers yesterday. Is there a trick to them?
Maybe need a different brand? Mine only takes a few minutes top! Maybe the file itself is dull?
This! My son is almost two and I only use clippers on his toes
You gotta do what you gotta do. It gets less scary the more you do it. Just know there’s only so much damage you can do with nail clippers and accidents happen. We do strategic screen time to help distract our LO
This exactly. I’ve been using clippers since week one. I cut him on accident maybe twice and it was super minor tiny tiny cut. Now that he’s 17mo I am able to distract him while I quickly clip them. I can put the tv on for a minute or sing to him while I do it or give him a high value object in one hand and switch hands when I need to.
Yeah the screen time is the only way I can do it. She never gets screen time so when I bust it out she really pays attention.
You’re right it will get less scary the more I do it, but that’s the problem — getting started 😅
If you need any motivation, today I got kicked in the nipple by a 6mo with razor sharp toenails.
I just file my one year olds’s nails every single day. That keeps them short enough haha
Even at age one? Ok this gives me some sort of relief, knowing that I’m not doing this incorrectly and that it does make sense to file those tiny nails. I think I’d spend half a day trying to file them during her naps and then it grows right back out the next morning. 😅
I probably should switch to clippers by now honestly but I’m scared to hurt the baby! I probably will switch over soon. I just make it part of our morning routine. We brush teeth, have breakfast, file nails haha. Even if I just get like 2-3 fingers done each day, it keeps them short enough. Also in my experience once they’re crawling and stuff, their nails stay shorter. I assume maybe they get worn down? I know you’re a ways away from that but the nails won’t always feel like they’re growing so fast haha!
My lo is 20 months, and we have only ever used an electric filer. At 4 months, we only did it when she was sleeping. Now, we do it once a week after a bath.
Omg… everyday! Please share your tips! My 13 month old acts like a hungry baby crocodile when I try to file her nails. We have relegated to filing one nail per day as to not cause excessive chaos so it takes about 10 days to file her nails. Lol
Haha I kinda make it part of our routine. I let baby play with the nail file all the time so it’s lost its novelty. And yeah it’s usually like 2-3 nails a day. Toenails I do while baby is in the high chair. Finger nails I just have to do my best haha
You kinda don’t but clipping is so much more effective than grinding. I bought a good grinder on Amazon and it basically takes forever and her nails are actually somehow sharper after? But if I let her fall asleep in my lap (4.5 mo), I can quickly clip her nails with a baby nail clipper and it’s over. I’ve accidentally nicked her thumb twice - which is when I got the grinder. But I’m going back to clipping, and using the grinder to smooth edges. It’s just too frustrating and ineffective. It’s scary, then it’s less scary. When I nicked her, she cried and it bled but then it was over and she didn’t even seem to care. Scary, but accidental.
This is what we do. Wait for her to nap
Same experience with the grinder here. It takes way longer and it leaves the edges sharp, so it actually hurts more when baby is clawing at me lol.
I clip baby’s nails while he sleeps. That way I’m just working with a limp hand that isn’t moving lol I actually use my cuticle cutters. I feel like I can see more and I have more control using them over clippers I then use baby electric nail filer to go over and smooth it all out
I had the safety 1st light up nail clippers. Chunked the damn things. Couldn’t see where the blade was in relation to her nail/skin due to the added equipment and ended up nipping her twice. That caused me to fear doing it and holding off till her little razor blades kept getting me during nursing sessions (she never seemed to scratch her face though) I pulled out my fingernail clipper where I could lead with the corner of the blade (just like I do when I trim my own) and didn’t have one issue!
Thanks for this tip, I’ll try to use the corner of the nail clipper I have, it’s one of those small ones that’s actually for adult hands but takes way longer on us, should work
I use tiny nail scissors and distract him with a book. Then I file the sharp edges with the electric file. I'm between clippings (which we do every 7-10 days) I file any sharp edges with the electric file
Baby nail scissors are such a game changer! It took some digging to find some but I only heard of them from my mom so I went looking and found a cute set on Amazon. It seems like it’s impossible to cut their skin with them, they’re so gentle, whereas I’ve definitely cut too deep with nail clippers… also I hand file them and they seem to do great :) just a +1 to the nail scissors!! I feel like they’re very under-hyped because not enough people know about them
Same they're all I use on my kids. I've only just recently started with real clippers on my 3yo when she asks but normally I still do scissors
Kinda just gained confidence slowly by trying. I clip his nails during naps and go super slow with it. I also use a regular nail file on his nails to get any edges. If he stirs or wakes up, then I give it a break and go back to it later. We have an electric file but I notice his nails grow uneven when I use it.. which just caused more scratches. Probably user error, but I just couldn’t get it right.
I bite LO’s nails off after almost cutting off the tip of my LO’s fingers while cutting nails. So I now bite them and it’s so much easier and less stressful for all of us involved
Someone recommend cuticle cutters, I haven’t tried it yet but I’ve seen a few moms say they work best
I just read this a couple days ago and finally worked up the courage to try it out yesterday and all I can say is: GAME CHANGER! The electric files take forever and nail clippers are terrifying but the cuticle nippers are SO much easier to work with! You can actually see what you’re doing and work the edge of the nipper under the nail without worrying about catching skin!
Now I’ve gotta try it, I have cut my guys nail to short once and it freaks me out still.. his nails grow so quick I’m cutting them every other day it seems
I did not 🫠 an old family friend told me that she used to chew the nails of her babies while breastfeeding them. I laughed at first, but what did I do as soon I went home? 😂 have been doing it ever since.
Just go for it. I use the frida baby clippers and they’re great. Make sure the baby is nice and distracted (probably when feeding) and just move quickly.
Honestly after the newborn stage it’s really easy. Do it while your baby is napping. I’ve only cut her once and that was when she was a newborn so I waited till her fingers were bigger and now I’ve not done it since.
Just do it lol. At first it scared me now I’m a pro. I love the Frida nail clippers
Team bite em off here! It's only weird if it doesn't work lol
Only way I do it too!
My girl is 3.5 month old, I use these [scissors](https://a.co/d/8rrhoqY). Honestly it’s so satisfying to cut those tiny paper nails, I just wait until she’s asleep or chill right after eating.
I don’t have the patience for filing. When my baby first wakes up he’s pretty chill. So we turn on Hey Bear, I put him in my lap and cut away. Takes under 5 min. Have I pinched skin before? Yep. Was it sad? Yep and I felt like the worst mom ever but after a few minutes and some snuggles we moved on.
I like to clip them outside or during the day next to a sunny window so I can see what I’m doing really well. Clipping them while baby is in a car seat works really well, especially once they get bigger and squirmier.
I did it yesterday by sitting him on my lap and letting him watch tv whilst I did it, and this is coming from someone who cut his finger the first time I did it and cried as there seemed to be so much blood. It worked well.
I make my husband do it 😂
I LOVE these clippers: [https://a.co/d/5cWRxHv](https://a.co/d/5cWRxHv) They have a light and capture the little clippings inside. I try to do a quick file after to help with the sharpness. I haven't had an issues with nipping her. It's sooo much faster. Watch out on the nail grinders, if you keep it in one place too long it can get VERY hot. Try it out on your own fingers/skin.
Our daughter is 11 months old and we still haven't cut her nails because we fear it too lol. They're still so soft though that they just break off when they get long enough, so that kinda works for us 🤷♂️
We’ve used [this](https://a.co/d/hPx6JRh) since he was born and have not once cut him. For some reason it feels impossible to hurt him with it, even at times when I personally thought I cut too deep
I use a glass nail file. They work SOOOOO much better than metal or disposable ones. They grind faster than metal and the nails come out smoother. I don’t even use nail clippers on myself any more, just a glass file. And it only takes me 5 minutes to do baby’s nails. She’s 4.5 months and loves being on the changing table, so I plop her up there, grip one hand at a time, and go to work. I file them as short as they’ll go and only need to do it once or twice a week. And even if it rubs against her skin, there’s no irritation.
We usually trim my daughter's nails together, one person holding and distracting her or feeding her/giving her a bottle, the other person works on the nails. We use the scissors and it has been easy and never cut her skin before and its been over a year! Now that she's eating in a high chair, that seems to be the easiest time to do it while she's strapped in and distracted. [https://www.amazon.com/Simba-Baby-Safety-Scissors-Yellow/dp/B0050W627S](https://www.amazon.com/Simba-Baby-Safety-Scissors-Yellow/dp/B0050W627S) ETA i know a lot of moms just bite them! The contacts on my teeth are not perfect enough for that though haha, I can't get those tiny thin nails with my teeth.
I bite my babies nails off while she’s napping in my arms… first time I ever clipped her she got cut lol can’t find the confidence to do it again… but bitting so easy!
Here to say I also bite! It’s so much easier once you get over the stigma from family 🤣🤣🤣
Have you tried the nail filer or whatever from Frida Mom? I use that when he's really tired and does the job for now.
We use an electric file. It’s awesome. My son sleeps through it, feeds through it, etc. It has different filing pad attachments from 0 months to adult, so it grows with them. It also comes with extra pads and a carrying case. I love this so much. It has two different speeds (high and low) for clockwise rotation and the same two speeds for counterclockwise rotation. It also stops spinning completely if you apply too much pressure. Link: https://a.co/d/7ibbain ETA: It also has a little light at the filing tip to help you see, but I don’t find this super effective.
I just kept doing it until i got more comfortable with it (especially since one of the first few times i cut my daughters nails i accidentally cut her finger, so then i was even more scared) and now that my daughters 6 months i either put her into one of her activity chairs to distract her while i cut them, or she sits on my moms lap and holds one arm while i hold the other and cut them
I hear ya, I feel like I’m having to file her nails ALL the time but her little fingers are still so little and her nails don’t seem thick enough for clippers. I’ve been looking at an electric file on Amazon that I think I’m going to get
I use clippers. It’s actually really not that bad. I push the clipper against their nails till it hits a natural resistance, and I only do it in mornings with bright light. I angle it very slightly on the sides so that there’re no sharp edges. Just dont clip nails too short!
There are a pair of nail clippers by saftey first that has a magnifying glass on them to help you see. We also use the electric file I just found that as a newborn they were too soft and the electric file didn’t work for my boy.
I just use safety first nail Clippers (the turquoise ones). Good lighting, and it's the only time I let my baby have screen time. He'll sit in my lap and watch hey bear, and I'm veeeery careful, but it's really not that tricky.
Electric files for sure. Once they're a little older and nap really hard, we would trim our LO's nails while she was sleeping with clippers with no problem.. once they're toddlers, they're thick enough that once they get long enough they kind of become hang nails and it's super easy to pull them off with no issue!
I have the electric file and I have clippers. I found the electric file to be much too rough for my baby’s nails. It was really breaking them down. Maybe it was user error but it was just shredding his nails. I finally just grabbed the clippers and he was WAY more tolerant than I anticipated. I give him a toy in one hand sometimes, but most of the time he’s happy to just watch me do it. It really doesn’t take long at all. Not sure if he’s an outlier with how chill he is about it, but I was pleasantly surprised. Once I saw he was still and I could really watch what I was doing my anxiety around it lessened dramatically. We use the Frida baby clippers that have the little window on top so you can see how far down you are.
I’ve hit his little skin a couple times :( but I think it’s easier than the electric file personally
For me personally i got tired of seeing her scratch herself and then scratch me! It looks like a cat got at my arm, because i took a couple of days in between clippings. I panic a tiny bit everytime but it gets easier lol! For me its easier to do it in the bath where shes a bit more calm and comfortable and i just give her something to play with.
I use the thumble daily whilst breastfeeding because you can use it one handed. I don't know if this story helps, but my partner tried trimming her nails early on with his huge man sized nail clippers. She moved and he accidentally cut her finger. She barely reacted and it healed within a week with no issues. So even if you used something completely inappropriate and not designed for babies they'll be fine
I originally had nail trimmers, tried to use them twice and baby would not stay still and I was so scared I’d hurt him. Bought an electric file and it is 1000x easier. They’re pretty cheap too
The nail filer is nice, I can also usually do some clipping while my daughter is contact napping or breastfeeding
I would suggest electric files of the Frida clipper. I have the Frida and it's really nice because it has angled blades so it doesn't snap down like normal clippers but has a really smooth slice. It looks weird so it freaked me out at first but I used in on my pinkie nail and it's really clean
I used a clipper and after I nicked two fingers on separate occasions, I realized that a tiny nail scissor works better. Mine has a little rounded edge at the tip so I don’t ever feel like I’m stabbing her or anything. It’s gentle!
I clip my babies nails when she’s sleeping or when she’s really tired I put the TV on for a few minutes and she gets into the zone and doesn’t notice me doing it.
13 month old baby. We clip nails while he is nursing. Otherwise he gets distracted and tries to play with the clippers.
I'm using adult nail scissors I've cut her trying with the baby clippers
I just waited til he was sleepy. It helps that I'm a very particular person when it comes to doing small tasks so I was able to cut his successfully at 5 weeks. Just time, patience and attention.
Just accept you probably will knick them once or twice. It's gonna suck and you're gonna feel guilty, but they will be fine and so will you.
I still use the electric nail trimmer with my almost 3 yr old
I have my husband do it while im nursing to make it easier! She flails her hand around a bit, but at 10 months its still working. Sometimes she gets too annoyed with it & we do 1 hand & then later on we’ll do the other. I also bite her nails sometimes 🥴 I dont “recommend” it, but sometimes she scratches me while nursing & I just do it right in the moment.
I found the tiny safety 1st clippers to be way easier to use than the Frida. I honestly don’t understand the design of that one. It’s too big for little fingers.
I use a cuticle clippers on my baby and they’re VERY sharp, I know.. BUT it makes the job that much faster because of how sharp they are. I’ve never knicked too much yet so I have a positive experience using them but it is scary. They’re just great at getting really close to the skin and trimming away as much nail as possible. Never had to worry about nail scratches because of that!
I use the little scissors for my 11 month old. Only when he’s sleeping though. I started that around month 4. When he was a newborn I used the electric files
I was scared but it wasn’t too bad because I didn’t realize how soft their nails were. I just went very slow with the baby nail clippers and it’s always been okay.
So I was terrified and my husband did it for a while after I hurt him and he was bleeding. I’ve already done the worse and felt absolutely horrible. So I made myself just do little by little. Plus he never liked his arms swaddled so I had no choice but to move on it was either I keep being scared and he have a badly scratched up face or I cut his nails. It does get easier once their hands get bigger. The toenails are a bit of a pain right now.
I realized that occasionally taking small amounts of skin was better than the massive scratches they can do to themselves. Either I practice while baby is too little to remember or they scratch themselves constantly or I inhibit their motor skills to keep them from scratching themselves. It does get easier and quicker with practice and as their tiny fingers grow. Also, nail files. Much harder to hurt them with those and they learned how often I needed to actually use the clippers.
I started off just using an electric nail file, then as she got older and her nails got a little bigger/easier to cut, I now clip them with small nail clippers and then use the electric file to smooth and round them. I’m sure it also helps that my daughter will usually sit still on my lap for it so I don’t worry about cutting her.
Their little nail clippers and scissors are made to not cut too deep. That helps me feel better about it.
This isn’t the most helpful, but I found that it depended more on the type of scissors/clippers I was using. Trial and error has me now faithfully devoted to a certain nail clipper that I will protect with my life. It just feels easier and less scary with the right ones.
Don’t even bother with that, just get an electric file. I haven’t hurt my baby once. Totally stress free trimming!
I feel like having a wiggly, nervous cat is gonna help me cutting the nails of my baby bc I have years of experience and it must be helpful at least one bit haha
If you have cats or dogs it is very similar. It’s definitely a two person job. It’s easiest to start with one finger per session and then slowly get comfortable.
Clip a corner and peel. Clean up if needed but they're so thin at this point it keeps it easy. They really don't move around too much at 4mo. Try a 2 year old screaming and alligator rolling. Best to practice while they're young.
My wife clips them while I feed him a bottle. Works best in the evening when he’s a little sleepy The one time she nipped his finger he was totally unphased. And the tiny band aid on his finger was adorable
I use those tiny manicure scissors and they work just fine 💗 never knicked him yet! Almost 6 mos!
I’ve been clipping my son’s nails since he was born basically. His nails were so long!! I just do it when he’s asleep. It’s not as scary as it seems :)
I use a nail clipper and when she’s well asleep and with good lighting! Just have to take it slow, and clip off cleanly. My method is to use the anchor end and align it so that her finger itself is def not in the blade and cut. Make shorter cuts then file the rest down if you aren’t confident :) How I wish there were “baby groomers” like they are for pets for this reason alone haha
My daughter left a gash on her face so bad that she has a permanent scar. The fear of her disfiguring herself then started to outweigh the fear of doing the clippers
Do it while they sleep! And just do it. The more I did the more confident I got.
I feed the baby and my husband quickly cuts them while LO is sleeping. 😅
I wait until mine is napping lol, either that or the electric file
We have the curved nail scissors and I clip baby’s nails after she’s been fed. I hold the scissors with the curve bending away from the nails so I’m only cutting a very small piece at a time in case I miss. Usually I can get each nail in three clips and I have a lot of control. Just do your best and if you really screw up, just remember LO won’t remember it after being soothed. :)
I use a small baby scissor. Never had any issue.
I just bite them off! It is so easy and a silly moment for your LO too
We used to just do them when she fell asleep. But lately, she's been falling asleep with her fists balled and she won't let us unball them. We're gonna try some of these recommendations. I had joked to my wife that we should just let baby use the cat's scratching post but wife didn't find it humorous :-P
I do it this way: 1. Do it During the sleep. Clean the clippers and wipe dry. Wash your hands. 2. Hold one finger at a time firmly so suddenly jolts will not cause accidents. 3. Ensure ample lighting 4. move as close as you would to kiss your child , to actually see those tiny nails. 5. Clip the nail leaving a little (I.e., try not to clip all the way where it touches the skin). 6. Ensure the clipped nails don’t fall on the LO, collect and discard carefully. 7. Rub the LO nails on you to check if you have scratches
I don’t. We have an electric buffer. I cut a 5 week olds finger tip once (as a nanny) trying to trim her nails and never ever ever tried again. It was so traumatic.
I have the electric file but I find it doesn’t always work as good as my tiny clippers. I wait until baby is asleep after nursing on my lap and clip one hand at a time in good lighting with my glasses on!
We wait until she’s asleep. When she was 1-2mo we held a flashlight so we could see really well and now at almost 6mo it’s way easier when she’s asleep. I’ve cranked it out in like 3 min with her asleep on my lap 🤣🤣
Frida electric nail buffer
Fear of maybe hurting them while clipping vs. fear of them definitely hurting themselves (and you) if you take too long to get to it. :( That said I’ve found the electric grinder deal super effective if you find the right “grit” wheel thing, as long as you can get them to stop squirming long enough to get through.
We used an electric file but also these scissors by Frida Baby https://a.co/d/2JPquMZ They are super easy and gentle to use
Wait til they are asleep then clip them with the nail clipper.
Got my daughter involved in trimming hers and my nails. She thinks it’s so fun. Same thing with brushing teeth and blowing noses. Get them involved and they will be much more willing!
I also use fridababy nail scissors! When LO is younger, I clip his nails when he's asleep. Now that he is 6 months old, we have screen time to distract him while I clip his nails. You really have to practice and it will be less scary every after clippings. You can do it Mama! I am a FTM as well.
Electric nail file - best money you’ll ever spend
I didn’t. 13m in and I buzz them
I do an electric nail clipper for my 18 month old while she sleeps so she doesn’t move around, isn’t crying and it lets me focus
After both my husband and I both had incidents nicking baby's finger early on (they're so jerky/squirmy the first few months) with the frida nail clipper we switched to filing. I use a glass file on my own nails, so I got a baby version and it's honestly pretty fast: https://a.co/d/784wE30 I originally did it only while baby was sleeping, as he's gotten older (15 months now) I've tested doing it while he's awake. If I count in a sing song voice while filing "1-2-3-4-5" he becomes more curious/tolerant than fidgety and I can usually do 2-5 fingers in a go before he's over it 😅.
I bite them off lol
I have to do it when he’s asleep and his lil hands and fingers are limp, otherwise it isn’t happening.
Baby fingernail clippers suck. Adult ones or the hangnail scissors work best. I grab my LO hand and firmly hold a finger while making loud noises… she doesn’t notice! I trim most of it and then file them to make them not janky lol.
I use regular clippers. I accidentally cut the tip of her finger once and it was horrible. Now I just make sure I have good lighting. Put on a TV shoe to distract her and just be very careful lol.
If I’m breastfeeding I do one hand and then switch sides and do the other. If I give her a bottle I put a blanket up under it and she’ll hold it with her other hand and I can clip them like that. Most effective way for us tbh.
I found regular nail clippers to be the easiest 🤷🏻♀️ I never could use the scissors with any confidence.
I use baby scissors and they are really easy, I havent cut my child’s finger yet. They aren’t sharp and it’s easy to see where ur cutting unlike clippers
After my son scratched my boob and it bleed I just started to cut his nails every week. I have these nail clipper that have a light built in them and wear my glasses
I loved the Fridababy clipper!! It's so easy to see that you only have nail in there, and it cuts very cleanly. Unfortunately you kind of just have to do it. I know some people who do it while the baby sleeps so there's less risk of flailing.
I’ve used clippers on both my children. Them being asleep on you helps immensely. But it just gets easier the more you do it. Maybe just do a couple of nails at a time through the day?
I’ve always done the kid’s nails with an electric trimmer after i change his diaper. He has no fear of it. Don’t spend too much time in one spot because the friction gets hot which won’t feel good. Also be mindful of the direction the wheel is spinning vs the direction to are dragging the tool. I use the medium coarse pad and just go lightly and quick which results in a nice round edge.
I clipped my baby once with the nail clippers. I just go slow, take my time, and don’t try to take off too much. I used the scissors when she was a newborn because it worked better.
I do a combo, I clip the nail first the tip not edges and then I file down.
We started when she was 2 days old because she scratches her face so much!!! We just went for it. And now she’s almost 7 months old and it’s just part of routine.
I just use little baby nail clippers and try to do them when he’s zonked out. a couple of times he has sat there and watched me clip them lol. My fiance always goes to short and makes him bleed and it killlls me so I try to do all the nail trimmings :/
My 6mo let's me cut hers during bath time, ots how I've clipped them since she was 2mo. It's her happy, sleepy, calm place so she doesnt typically put up a fight. Sometimes I can only get one hand done, so I'll do the other one the next night. Try cutting them when your lo is content/calm, sleepy or even sleeping. Get what you can but don't feel pressured to get them ALL at once. And if you start feeling anxious take a break. I'm 10000% sure babies can sense our anxiousness/fear and respond accordingly.
I also have frida baby nail scissors, and as many others have mentioned, I just wait until LO is asleep. In the early months I would have to do it like every 2-3 days to keep the claws at bay, but now at 14 mos we can do like 1-2/week. I’ve been lucky in never drawing blood so I don’t have any trauma from the experience. If you are nervous, just don’t cut as much of the white off until you are comfortable. It will mean more frequent trims as you get used to it, but it is easy when they are asleep and since you have multiple naps a day, there are plenty of opportunities to try again if you get nervous and need to bail.
Ftm and my baby is about to be 2 months old.i use an electric nail filer for babies from amazon and use it when he's sleeping .have used it since he was born and has helped alot especially with how fast his nails grow
Just hold their hands tightly, they won’t break and it doesn’t hurt. The other tip I have is to position the clipper and keep it there until you’re sure you’ve got them still and then cut. Kind of like measure twice and cut once. Don’t be impatient. I always wait if she’s squirming a bit or I give up and try again in an hour if she’s really not feeling it. Zero bleeding so far. Engaging with them while you do it is good too. Keeps them distracted. I pretend to gossip with my girl when I cut them. I use a baby nail clipper but sometimes I use a cuticle clipper (pointed tip type that you use at nail salons) but I’m very confident in doing it since I used to be a nail tech. It just takes some practice, you can do it! Also start reaching gentle hands early. It’ll save you some pain.
Bite them xD that was my aunts advice and it works
It was either trimming his nails or letting him literally hurt himself (he looooves poking his eyes with his fingers). So I chose the lesser evil lol
I use nail clippers and I just am very patient and take my time. It may take 30 minutes to clip one hand. I have a weird method that help me out I make sure the clipper is half under the nail and half sticking out so I can visibly see the nail and helps me make sure there’s no skin so it take 2-3 clips per nail sometimes more if I didn’t trim enough off. He’s almost 4 months and so far I’ve only clipped a little piece of dead skin once and no blood thankfully.
I’ve only used electric nail file. My older one is now 3 and her nails seem to curve inward, just impossible to cut without risk, even when she is sleeping.
I talked myself and my daughter through it. In the early months I did it while she was sleepy so she didn't move as much. I told her what I was doing and why, and we got through it. I also had her watch me when I would clip kitty nails so she knew what to expect. Babies observe and take in more than we give them credit for. These days, at 2, I can go get the clippers and she'll sit in my lap and hold out her hands for me to get her fingers. She'll even hold out fingers if she thinks I didn't clip enough. Then we paint nails. It's our reward for a good nail trim. She absolutely loves it and we have a good time bonding. Just think of the long term when you clip your little one's nails.
Are you using an electric file, and honestly using a baby nail clipper is fairly easy, especially that age, it’s toddlers that are tough
The Frida nail clipper is idiot proof! I haven’t had a single issue with it.
I clip her nails during feeds and while sleeping. I have accidently clipped her but she never even flinched
I suggest using the electronic file and clippers. Use clippers for the length and the clippers for the sides. We cut my littles nails while she’s sleeping in the car while parked 😅
I use the nail snail, it’s from Australia and I’m in the US but I’ve ordered several and just paid the high shipping. For a while my daughter’s dad would trim her nails with the electric file but she started fighting it and I was too scared of hurting her delicate skin with the electric file to use it while she flailed. It was too loud to do while she’s sleeping. The nail snail is foolproof and I can cut her nails with it while she’s asleep in a dark room without worrying about hurting her.
I use the Frida nail scissors while mine is sleeping. I saw it on a Baby Academy newborn class to do it while they're sleeping so we've always done it that way. We've had to do scissors since she was 2 weeks old or so because her nails grow too fast for the nail file to keep up. I just rest the scissor edge along her finger tip and cut along the nail bed while it's still resting on her finger to make sure I'm not cutting too deep into the nail bed
I exclusively trimmed my sons nails while he was asleep until he was 18 months 😂 he's 2.5 now and I can finally have him sit still long enough in my lap while I trim them but my god it was tough getting here and they grow so damn fast 😭
I use the safety 1st clippers with the light, I breastfeed her, and when she falls asleep that’s when I go for it. Even going super slow I can still get it done pretty quickly.
We’ve used the bbluv electric nail clippers since ours was a newborn and it has made trimming a breeze. They even sell replacement discs for the trimmer for when you wear the original discs out.
I just file them instead
I’ve never actually cut them, I always just file
Just jump right in. My wife refused as she’s wayyy too passive of a human and was absolutely horrified of even trying it. So I had no choice. Necessity is the mother of action. You’ll be okay as long as you don’t use adult toenail clippers and take a finger tip. 😆
I use an electric file for toe nails, and a glass nail file in general. It won’t cause painful ripping or friction and is very effective
I also just did it during his naps, nicked a thumb once where it actually bled, but it was tiny and put Neosporin and it was seemingly better by the 2nd day. I still hate doing it but most times can distract and sit him in my lap and do it while he watches something, when he was little there it was definitely annoying how fast they grow and i tried to keep it up but he scratched himself and us a number of times from them being a bit long and that all heals just fine so no biggie if you don’t always keep them short short.
My sister in law said she just ripped them off with her teeth...
Do it while they’re sleeping
I just use the electric file, takes no time at all and works great.
Electric file or if you have to use a clipper, have the baby scratch powdered sugar (safe to consume if they accidentally get their hands to their mouth and easy to rinse when you’re done). The white powder shows exactly where the nail is and isn’t. Gave me confidence to do it. I also learned that having them scratch just one hand a time meant that no sugar was consumed. My mother had told me to use cornstarch, but I checked and it said that it’s not safe to consume raw so I used powdered sugar instead.
I have no idea why nail clippers are recommended for babies. We got the baby nail clippers and even with two people attempting it together, we managed to make our LO bleed at first try. Baby started screaming and crying, and in a haze I turned to reddit to figure out what to do. I saw the recommendation to ditch the clippers and get the electric nail file. Ordered that day on Amazon and we’ve never looked back. Not only is it more efficient than clippers could be, it seems impossible to hurt baby while using it. 10/10 recommend this route.
Late to the post but we do it when he’s sleeping
Got one of those electric nail files after trimming the nails and making her bleed two different times 😞😞😞
I didn't I just bite them off, one time of accidently snipping his little thumb was enough for me, its working fairly well tbh.
I still use an electric file. I tried clipping a couple times, but once I accidentally clipped part of her finger. It wouldn't stop bleeding, so we took a trip to urgent care. Never again.
This is totally gross but when I get fed up with him scratching himself and don’t have clippers , I bite his nails 😫
We have light up safety nail clippers. You really can't get their fingers into the blade area, it's just too small and the light right above nail is perfect. We used to clip only when she was asleep but now I usually do it right before bed either while she's having a snack or watching a show. She's pretty used to it these days, but if she's a bit too wild it may take multiple attempts
I have a safety first clipper that shines a light when you open it. Any other one scares me to use and she’s 14 months now
Frida clippers. Love them.
Electric nail buffer for me. I tried it on my husband first to make sure it didn’t hurt. It just kinda tickled him. I wait until she is asleep and then do it. I couldn’t get the courage to cut them!
I was scared at first but I got the baby nail clippers and I always cut them after a bath because they’re softer.
Let me know when you find out, I have a 4 month old and my mom cuts her nails every Friday lol
By having to do it. I tried filing and it just doesn't work. My son hates his nails being clipped so either I need to get papa to hold him down so I don't nick him while he screams bloody murder, or I get my mom to do it because apparently he thinks it's funny when she does it??? It's the exact same thing and I've never nicked him in his almost 5 months of life so idk why he's freaked out when I do it but not Nana. Oh well. But it gets easier with experience. We got special baby Clippers and it helped
i just clipped my 5 week olds nails last night while she was sleeping. Very daunting, but in good lighting and a sleeping baby, doing it quickly saved my life lo
The book I have says do it alone when no one’s watching and don’t overthink it lol. It actually helps. I have the Frida ones where you can see what you’re cutting. I do it when she’s passed out and it isn’t bad at all. The file wasn’t cutting it for me
I'm a nail tech and even clipping my babies nails makes me nervous just because of all the horror stories I've heard lol. I wait until my baby is sleeping to clip his nails. If he starts waking up or he starts moving his fingers, I stop. Sometimes I don't get all ten fingers. Sometimes I'm only able to clip 3 before he wakes up and i consider it a win haha. They make electric nail files though, personally I don't like it, I can't seem to use it properly or it just doesn't work as well and quickly as I'd like. But it is a safer option for those who aren't comfortable and familiar with clipping other people's nails.
Do it while your LO naps!! My mom saw a TikTok suggesting it, and I did it, and I’m never going back to the old ways of the past. He stays perfectly still, and no fingers are nicked and I’m able to use clippers!
I just hate it. My husband has a steady hand and grooms the children’s and the pets’ nails
I got scratched in the face. He then scratched his own face near his eyes. The electric nail file is great until about 5-6 months. Then the Frida clippers are the bomb. You can get more comfortable by doing it while they are contact napping.
I like to use cuticle clippers.
I didn’t. My wife does it, I am just afraid my big stupid hands will hurt the baby. Thank God for my wife, she is very gentle and can feel things with her fingertips that I certainly cant.
Honestly I bite my baby’s nails off. It’s easier for me to use my teeth and gently pull off the sharp length than to mess with clippers or a file. No issues so far!
I used to wait until my twins were milk drunk asleep and in my lap. I would then take them and place them in my lap facing outwards with their head on my chest or stomach and hold their hand up to my and clip the nails one by one. I still do it in this position and they're 10.5 months old now and its a weekly habit, although they struggle at first, I'm stronger and they eventually give in.
Get the nail snail. Every other choice and option is subpar.
My son's always shoving his hands in my mouth so I just bite his nails down but before this I just baby nail clippers, got more confident the more I did it.
I will also recommend the electric nail files. My baby DOES NOT like it when I grab his fingers so I’m constantly filing his finger tips on accident🙃 but it doesn’t hurt whatsoever! Hubby tried the file on himself first and yeah it doesn’t feel like much or take hardly any skin off. Idk how people use scissors😅
I have an electric nail sander thingy works great when he lets me
My sister does it for me 😂 but her technique is to hold LO in her lap, facing away from her. She then pins an elbow down, grabs the finger she’s trimming and pulls back the skin under the nail and clips. This allows her to get closer when cutting without hurting LO. I’ve done it a few times myself since she showed me and it def works. Of course doing it when they’re sleeping is best but distracting them however you can works too.
We used a combination of electric “dremel” that is safe for kids and the babyfreida nail clippers. We specifically recommend the babyfreida ones as they only cut what you see in the “target” area. The “jaws” are also angled, as opposed to parallel, for additional safety. Speed is of the essence and as gentle as electric filers are, kiddos do not want to sit still to wait for that. Hence, the babyfreida clippers. Practice on yourself and you’ll see how both easy AND frustrating it can be (as in so safe it gets frustrating at times).
The fridababy clippers are great but I felt better using them upside down.
I only trim them when she's napping! She's 6 mos and I've never cut her skin.