Cutting Children’s Nails: 4 Good Tips

As children grow and develop, they become stronger and more active. This can make the task of cutting their nails quite difficult. However, it is a fundamental part of their personal hygiene.

In addition, keeping your little one’s nails short is one way to avoid injury – both for your child and for others. Finding a few helpful tips will help you face the job with much more confidence.

4 Tips for cutting children’s nails

Although nail trimming is a routine task, it is also a challenge for many parents. Therefore, today we want to present you with more suggestions to make the work easier:

Use the right technique to cut children’s nails

First of all, hold your child firmly with his or her back against yourself. Embrace your child, including his or her arms, to avoid sudden movements.

You want to be sure to avoid unfortunate injuries while using nail clippers. As parents gain more experience, they can decide which position works best in line with their child’s behavior.

We suggest pressing down on your toddler’s fingertip when you cut the part of the nail that extends beyond the finger. You need to mow parallel to the natural growth line.

Cut straight across, then get around the edges using a special nail file for kids. It is better not to cut too close to the skin to avoid accidentally cutting your baby’s finger.

2. Choose the right moment to cut children’s nails

Waiting for the right moment is one of the most effective tips when it comes to cutting your child’s nails. For example, cutting children’s nails while they sleep may be ideal, especially if he or she is sleeping soundly. This way, your little one will not move around, making your job much easier.

You can also try cutting your child’s nails when he or she is distracted by watching cartoons. If your child enjoys eating, then you might want to try offering a favorite snack or finding another distraction. Songs and stories are also great ideas.

If your child is over 3 years old, we suggest that you cut your own nails in front of him or her. This will show your little one that cutting nails does not hurt. This may be enough to convince your child to allow you to cut his otherwise her nails without protest.

You can also try to wait until after bath time to cut their nails. You will find that your baby’s fingernails become softer and much easier to cut. Keep in mind, however, that wet nails are transparent, so you will need to be extra careful not to cut your child’s fingers.

Above all, choose a time when you yourself are calm. It’s the only way you can communicate confidence and faith to your little one. Children have self-protection reflexes. In other words, when they see scissors or nail clippers, they respond to avoid injury.

Use age-related instruments

During your baby’s first months of life and until the baby is 2 years old, it is best to use nail clippers or baby nail clippers. It is also a good idea to use an electric nail file or a special cardboard file for babies and toddlers.

This will help prevent injury. After the child is three years old, you can choose to use a regular nail clipper.

4. Wash and file nails after cutting them

When you have finished cutting your child’s nails, you should then file them. This way you will be sure to get rid of uneven or sharp edges that can scratch your child. It is best to leave the nails with rounded edges.

Finally, wash your child’s hands when they have finished cutting and filing them. This way you will be sure that there is no dust or loose pieces that could end up in the baby’s eyes or mouth.

How to cut your child’s toenails

When your child’s toenails become long, they do not pose a major risk of causing injury. However, it can be uncomfortable as they cause pressure when your child is wearing shoes.

To cut toenails, hold on to the baby’s feet and avoid sudden movements. Put pressure on the padding under each toe, causing the nail to protrude. This will make mowing much easier.

When cutting toenails, it is best to cut straight across instead of cutting around the edges. Since toenails grow slower than fingernails, you should only cut them every two weeks or maybe once a month.

Mistakes to avoid when cutting your children’s fingernails

There are several mistakes you should avoid when it comes to cutting a child’s nails. First, stay away from cutting the edges of the nails. If you do, your nails can become ingrown and cause damage to your baby’s fingers.

Also, do not cut too close to the skin. This can also cause injury and be very painful.

If you follow today’s advice for cutting your toddler’s nails, we are sure you will be amazed at how easy it can be. Put these tips into practice next time!