What’s the best way to trim a baby’s nails?
Ensure that your little one is either asleep or sufficiently distracted before you get the nail clippers out – using sharp tools on a wriggling, fussing baby is likely to end in disaster. A second pair of hands to hold, feed or distract a wakeful child is ideal, otherwise try switching on the telly. Waiting until your baby is asleep is generally advisable though, as is tackling the task after bath time when nails are softer.
Firmly holding your baby’s hand or foot, press the finger or toe pad away from the nail to prevent cuts to their delicate skin. Nail clippers should be sharp enough to cut through the nail first time. Trim a limited amount with each cut, keeping nails fairly straight – to avoid ingrowing nails and infections – and not too short. Once nails are a suitable length, use a fine emery board to smooth any rough edges.
If your baby is asleep, clip the nails on one hand or foot at a time to stop your child becoming cold with the necessary removal of bedding, socks or other clothing.
If the clippers accidentally catch the skin, gently hold a piece of clean tissue or damp cotton wool to the cut, applying a little pressure to help stop any bleeding. Avoid the temptation to use a plaster – it could end up in your baby’s mouth and could choke them. Instead, cover the hand or foot with a scratch mitt, glove or baby sock that can be removed once the bleeding stops.
Finally, if you’re truly struggling to cut your baby’s nails, do just one or two on each attempt until all of them are clipped.
When can you use clippers on a baby?
Clippers can be used on a baby from the day they’re born – even if that’s prematurely.
Babies’ nails, particularly those on their fingers, grow astonishing quickly and may need cutting down to size up to twice a week (or fortnightly to monthly for toenails). Always consult manufacturers’ guidelines for age suitability and choose an appropriate pair for your child.
Which nail clippers are best for baby?
The best baby nail clippers are The First Years’ Deluxe Nail Clipper with Magnifier, rated positively by parents for giving them the confidence to cut their little one’s nails. While the magnifier may be seen as merely a gimmick by some parents, these easy-grip clippers are fairly priced, comfortable to use and quite simply do their job. They’re also great for popping in your changing bag when out and about.
How we chose our recommendations
The majority of products featured in our roundup made the cut following recommendations from real parents, who’ve tried and tested various types and brands of baby nail clippers.
We first spent several hours scouring the Mumsnet forums to discover which types of baby nail clippers performed well for our users, instilled cutting confidence and were rated most highly among honest Mumsnetters.
We noted ease of use, quality, affordability and standout features and were careful to avoid any that performed poorly. From there, our research took us across the wider web, where we consulted independent expert review sites and considered what consumer reviews said about the products featured, ensuring that customers were satisfied with their purchases.
Having collated all that information, we then drew up a shortlist of the baby nail clippers that were repeatedly mentioned, picking only those that we thought were worthy of taking the titles in an array of interest categories.
About the author
Louise Cole is a writer and editor with more than a decade’s print journalism experience, having worked for several daily newspapers and as editor of a glossy lifestyle magazine.
She has written articles on topics from parenting and pets to lifestyle and travel, and her work has featured in national publications. Wanderlust runs through her veins and she has travelled extensively to dozens of countries and visited all habitable continents.
Read next: Best tummy time toys for babies