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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Baby's nail came off when cutting, aibu to not go to doctor?

36 replies

MQv2 · 05/07/2019 07:58

Just that really. I was trimming my 6 month olds nails as they were long/jagged.
And her pinky nail just peeled off when I went to bite off the excess.
I obviously didn't get a proper bite through.

Baby didn't even react and is playing fine since.
Myself and wife a bit unsure as to whether we need to go to doctor (I don't think there's anything they can do for us) or what to do next?

OP posts:
chuttypicks · 05/07/2019 08:01

Personally I would take her to the GP. Surely that shouldn't happen. Was there lots of blood? Maybe it's a sign of a medical issue. Peoples nails just don't come off ime.

chuttypicks · 05/07/2019 08:01

Personally I would take her to the GP. Surely that shouldn't happen. Was there lots of blood? Maybe it's a sign of a medical issue. Peoples nails just don't come off ime.

NannaNoodleman · 05/07/2019 08:04

I don't think I'd go to the GP.

Babies' nails are weak and brittle. She's not in pain.

Minai · 05/07/2019 08:08

Has she had hand foot and mouth before? My son’s nails fell off a couple of months after he had it and grew back fine

JamesBondFire · 05/07/2019 08:20

When my daughter was the same age her nails seemed brittle and would 'peel away'. I did take her to the doctors but he wasn't overly concerned - just confirmed that I was giving her vitamin supplements. The brittle nails just seemed to grow out and there was no problems after a couple weeks of visiting the GP. I would book an appointment to make sure.

JamesBondFire · 05/07/2019 08:21

Oh, I hadn't made the connection before Minai. My daughter had hand, foot and mouth not long before this happening!

Original poster
MQv2 · 05/07/2019 08:33

No blood
I wouldn't suspect hand foot and mouth, just poor technique on my part.
I probably got complacent having had no accidents to this point and pulled a bit too hard.

OP posts:
Original poster
MQv2 · 05/07/2019 08:43

Going to gp to be safe

OP posts:
cccameron · 05/07/2019 08:44

Are you saying you pulled her whole nail off with your teeth? God I'd be mortified

cccameron · 05/07/2019 08:45

And yes would go to the gp as I imagine there's a risk of infection

Littlecaf · 05/07/2019 08:46

Really? Go to the GP because a nail fell off? What are they going to do? Stick it back on? If it’s not bleeding and she’s not in pain, it’ll grow back!

Whisky2014 · 05/07/2019 08:47

I wouldn't go to the go for this.

Geminijes · 05/07/2019 08:52

Are you really going to waste your GP's time because a nail fell off (was bitten off by you)?

What do you think the GP will do? Stick it back on?

JamesBondFire · 05/07/2019 08:56

Sorry, yes. Revising my earlier statement of going to the GP, if you just accidentally pulled it off and all the other nails are fine I would not go to the GP.

Original poster
MQv2 · 05/07/2019 08:57

"Are you saying you pulled her whole nail off with your teeth? God I'd be mortified"

I'm actually pretty estatic about it.
Going to try for the other 9 now

OP posts:
Likethebattle · 05/07/2019 09:01

If their is no boood and she’s not in pain then just leave it. It will grow back. My toe nail fell off randomly this year it’s growing back so I assume I probably knocked it.

Likethebattle · 05/07/2019 09:01

*there is no blood ffs autocorrect is now dicking with my grammar!

WeShouldOpenABar · 05/07/2019 09:02

So not worth a gp visit

Original poster
MQv2 · 05/07/2019 09:33

Cool
Will sit tight so

OP posts:
Damntheman · 05/07/2019 10:03

I think I'd probably just call the HV for advice rather than go straight to the GP :) It'll probably be okay, if baby isn't upset and there's no open sore it should just grow right back.

pollypenguin01 · 05/07/2019 10:19

Going to try for the other 9 now

I know I shouldn’t have but I did LOL at this.

It does sound a bit horrifying the way you worded it though, biting babies nail off with your teeth! Maybe tone it down a little for the GP, perhaps don’t mention the biting part.

ElizaPancakes · 05/07/2019 10:23

I probably would have gone to the GP for baby 1 but not baby 3 Wink

MrsSarahSiddons · 05/07/2019 10:27

This is why the fashion for biting off baby’s nails is less effective than using small scissors designed for the purpose, which is what we did in the olden days. Because of how your eyes and your teeth are arranged in your head, you can’t actually see what you are doing if you use the biting method.

Ronnie27 · 05/07/2019 10:30

So glad someone mentioned the hand foot and mouth thing! My youngest started randomly losing fingernails and I was horrified but it’s apparently a little known side effect of hand foot and mouth. Grin

In your case I wouldn’t bother with the gp, no blood or pain, it’ll grow back!

Original poster
MQv2 · 05/07/2019 12:01

"This is why the fashion for biting off baby’s nails is less effective than using small scissors designed for the purpose, which is what we did in the olden days. "

Yeah I'll be avoiding this method from Now on.
We were advised by one of the midwives to use it instead of clippers or scissors because.... They were more likely to rip the nail off

OP posts: