Did I do the wrong thing keeping newborn’s hands covered ?

Oh geez. She's going to be a passive aggressive pain in the arse, hope your husband will have your back when you need it down the line.

My 7 year old has a scar on his cheek from scratching himself as a newborn. It's not very visible but it's still there. You did the right thing, ignore her.

😂so true

except in my case, I was nervous so I asked the health visitor to do it. She made the baby bleed instead!

I don't think you were wrong to use scratch mitts if they were needed, but I do think you're wrong to let a couple of comments like this send you into a panic. Different people, particularly from different generations, have different views on how to dear babies and children and I don't honestly see why your mother in law's comment was so bad that you've got so concerned. If she's anything like my mother in law, or friends' mothers in law, she is highly likely to say much much worse in the years ahead, and I think you need to let comments pass over your head with a polite smile.

And yes, this! Absolutely do this 😂😂

Haha! Yes, get her something with handprints every year until baby is 10 years old

I used baby socks on my firstborn as the mitts didn't stay on and the inbuilt ones on the sleepsuits weren't around then!

It's possible you're being a bit oversensitive although absolutely understandable. Still mentioning it 6 weeks on is strange though and I probably would start to take it as a dig. It's weird MIL would have an issue with that in particular though as I'm guessing the keeping hands uncovered thing is probably a more recent phenomenon.

I'd just say things like "aww but at least you don't have any scars now as you were always tearing at your little face" and shrug it off.

Beware as there'll probably be many more similar things like this! Again, I'd just address them sweetly, through your baby if need be, as to why you've chosen this route.

My stepmum was fantastic when I had my babies. She'd often offer advice but was always sure to follow this up with "this is what I used to do with mine, but I'm sure it's probably different these days so might not be recommended now". I never once felt she was overstepping. My MIL not so much, but I'd just grit my teeth with much eye rolling behind her back 😂

Congratulations on your baby. I am another one who used scratch mitts on for ages on my first child. My child was overdue and was born the day before she was going to be induced so the nails were very long to start with.
Don’t worry about it. It didn’t do any harm at all! We are all allowed to be precious with our babies. 😀

Op, don't you let these two cows make you doubt yourself.

Assert your choices. You are your baby's parents. Not them.

This. Of course you didn't do the wrong thing!

I used scratch mitts on and off because my newborn DD had claws not nails - so sharp! On one occasion whilst in her car seat aged about 8 weeks she scraped her face so severely she still bears the scar at 18, I wish I’d used them more frankly! You’re fine, and cutting newborn nails is scary, you’ve done nothing wrong.

I'd double down going forward. "Oh baby, show Nanny your hands, she loves to see them" , "Nanny, look at baby's hands, aren't they beautiful", "Show Nanny your hands, clever girl" etc. I'd even go so far as to get her hand prints on a mug and gift it for birthday or Christmas saying you know how much she loves her hands.
Probably too much, but I hate it when people do this kind of stuff.

Oo I didn't know that!

That's exactly why you can buy newborn scratch mittens. Not that they stay on!

My son has a scar from scratching his face when he was a few days old. I cried and I still inwardly wince when I notice it. I’d have used mittens in a heartbeat.

They sound very strange and frankly ignore them and any other pointed comments. Unfortunately you will come across this from many angles. Parent the way you want to.

“Grandma’s being a cunt, isn’t she?”

They sound bitchy!

Of note though we’ve used the Tommy Tippee baby nail filer and it’s so good. She doesn’t even wake up when we use it and files nails a treat but just feels like a tickle if you use on skin.

I think your MIL/ SIL are just being mean. There is an argument that using scratch mitts isn’t ideal from a sensory POV but I doubt they’re referring to that. It’s just a matter of criticism of your choice to do something.

FWIW even as a newborn my DD would press her fingers into my breast which the midwife said was her helping to express the milk. She sucked her thumb and reached out to touch a lot. So I bought mitts but didn’t ever use them.

It's fine!!! It was inly for the first few weeks of your baby's life!! My newborn has currently for her hands covered

As usual, first post nails it.

OP, most parents I know (including me) cut their firstborn baby’s finger the first time they tried to trim their nails. The baby cries, you cry, you feel like the worst parent in the world. Then you find out everybody has done it (and cried, and felt like the worst parent in the world). It’s almost a rite of passage.

Forget the stupid baby nail clippers. Get a pair of round-tipped nail scissors and use them instead. They’re much easier to use and no chance of poking the baby with a sharp tip.

Personally I wouldn’t cover their hands. They should get used to using them to self soothe and explore their surroundings but your baby is 12 weeks not 12 months

@Flowersandforests they’re saying what they want to say to you, via the baby. You could reply in the same way “Mummy covered baby’s hands because baby had very sharp nails and Mummy
wasn’t ready to cut them back then. Luckily baby’s clothes had built-in protection. Wasn’t baby lucky to have such a caring Mummy?”

Then suggest everyone stops the ‘critique your way via a faux conversation with the baby’ talk and only offer advice when asked.

They sound a right couple of pains in the *rse.

Funnily enough, all comments are said when DH is out of earshot!

This is the important thing, not scratch mitts.

When DH comes back in the room, say "sorry MIL I got distracted there, what was it you were saying about scratch mitts/weaning/breastfeeding?".

Get a body cam*. Nip it in the bud.

This will just be the beginning otherwise.

*or something less dramatic