Guide to Baby Nail Care
About Baby Nails
Trimming or cutting a newborn baby’s nails can be quite an intimidating task for parents, especially if it is the first time. While it may seem like an effortless task cutting your own nails, for infants it is much different. Baby nails are softer compared to those of an adult, which makes their delicate skin easier to cut or cause discomfort. Caring for your child’s nails is essential for relieving itches, picking up objects, and protecting their fingertips.
Neglecting your baby’s nails can lead to infections or injuries. For years, parents have used different approaches to take good care of their baby’s nails.
Transformations of Baby Nail Care
The concerns over causing abrasion or injuries while cutting baby’s nails has driven a lot of parents to rely on baby nail care products available in the global market over the years. Different types of baby nail tools such as baby-sized nail scissors and standard nail clippers have emerged over the years to make the task easier. While these tools are aimed for catering to the needs of parents with infants, choosing the right one is crucial. In fact, the evolution of baby nail care has been targeting the effectiveness and safety of the process.
Even with the availability of baby nail tools for trimming in the global market, parents desire to take extra care while trimming their baby’s nails. The baby nail care market is segmented into electric and traditional tools. In recent years, the segment has been undergoing continuous evolution and improvisation in the products offered. Parents no longer have to rely on traditional means like biting their baby’s nails or using razor blade to keep the nails short.
With the rising popularity in technology, baby clippers now come with extras than they did back in the day. Manufacturers have been implementing new strategies to come up with new or additional features that can cater to the specific needs of their customers. For example, electric nail files, electric nail trimmers, magnifying glasses to facilitate parents to zoom in on nails. Another baby nail care product that provide convenience is nail clippers with an in-built LED light. This feature helps parents to trim their baby’s nails swiftly as the baby sleeps.
Maintaining Healthy Nails for Your Baby
Although infant’s nails may be more pliable and softer than yours, parents should keep in mind that they are sharp. Keeping your baby’s nails short is crucial for their safety. This is because infants have little control of their muscle and can end up scratching their face. It is also vital to keep your baby’s nails trimmed when they start plying or interacting with other kids. When it comes to baby care maintaining your baby nails, several aspects have always been important:
Right Tools
When cutting your little ones’ nails, ensure you use the right tools for your baby. This may include baby nail scissors with rounded tips or baby nail clippers. Most nail care kits for babies come with emery boards or nail files that can smoothen rough edges. It is important to avoid buying filing boards or clippers made for adults or older children. It also helps to include a first aid kid on your registry. A first aid kit consists of gauze pads that are essential in case you cut or draw little blood accidentally.
Nail Cutting Technique
Apart acquiring the right nail cutter and trimming tools, learning the proper way of cutting your child’s nails is critical. Mothers understand the important of preventing discomfort around the nail for the baby. If you are new to this, press down on the tip of the finger so that the nail is up and away from the skin to prevent the skin before cutting it.
Choosing the Right Time
Knowing when to cut your baby’s nails and when not to is usually helpful. If your baby is tired or hungry, it may be difficult to trim. Certain activities like feeding, diaper change, or a nap is essential before start cutting. The calmer your baby is, the easier it is to do a trim. It also works to trim your child’s nails after bath: when the baby is happy and relaxed and nails are soft.
Preventing Injuries and Accidents
When you sense your baby is getting tired or anxious of the trimming session, try to distract them. Techniques like singing or talking calmly to the baby work perfectly. It may also help to entice them with a toy or a pacifier or involve them in an activity like a game. Finally praise them for helping you finish the task.
Avoiding to Bite Baby Nails
Some parents bite the nails, especially if it is hangnail or a few sharp pieces. Your mouth may have germs that could be transferred into tiny cuts, which may cause an infection. It is also difficult to see what you are doing because your teeth are bigger than your child’s fingernail. So, it is important to this approach.
Keep the Baby’s Nails Clean
It is easy for junk and dirt to accumulate under the nails, causing bacteria to live under the nails. Making sure you wash your kid’s nails using a soft nail brush, soap and water helps clean out the dirt that may cause germs especially if your baby bites their nails.
Using Lights
It is also important to use adequate lights when trimming your baby’s nails. Trimming the nails under dim light can prove to be dangerous because you can cause an injury. If you are trimming during the night ensure to use proper lights on such as next to a bed lamp or table lamp.
Electric Nail Trimmers for Babies
While regular or traditional baby nail trimmers does a good job in taking care of baby nails, they are clunky and your baby’s nails are so tiny making it difficult to see. Many moms have made testimonies of accidentally clipping their baby’s nails too far and nipping the finger. The electric nail trimmer is a revolutionary product that overcomes such weaknesses. This latest innovation provides parents with a better solution for baby nail trimming needs.
The automation feature gives you more control, which helps speed up the entire process of trimming the nails. The tool is also versatile cushioned with sandpapers for safety use with babies and young children.
An electric nail trimmer comes with whisper quiet operation and a LED front light feature that allows you to use at night when your baby is sleeping. By choosing from rotation and multiple speed settings, you can enhance nail filing positions, smoother, and softer nails to achieve a perfect trim for your baby. Another aspect that makes the electric nail trimmer a revolutionary product is the safety feature that prevents you from damaging your baby’s soft nail beds or cuticles.
Concluding Remarks
The overall health for you baby starts with basic hygiene habits: and grooming your child’s nails is one of them. Your baby is less likely to suffer from ingrown toenails or uncomfortable infections when you are attentive to their nails. Having a nail grooming schedule is essential in preventing injuries to you and your baby from scratching or poking. You must remember how vulnerable and delicate babies are when it comes to trimming. That is why you must choose the safest trimming tools to groom your baby’s nails. Check out our quick tips for Baby Nail Clipping here.
References/Sources
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/health-daily-care/hygiene-keeping-clean/trimming-nails
https://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/6-secrets-successfully-clipping-your-babys-nails
https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/health-topics/hw250713
https://ufhealth.org/nail-care-newborns
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/trimming-nails.html
https://www.babycenter.com/0_how-to-trim-your-babys-nails_10027.bc
https://www.bounty.com/baby-0-to-12-months/health-and-care/cutting-your-babys-nails