When can I cut my baby's fingernails?

[ellesabe]

I seem to recall reading somewhere that you shouldn't cut a newborn's fingernails but, whilst dd1's nails were very soft and peeled away, dd2 has fingernails of steel!

I would really like to cut them as she has some nasty scratches on her face, and I wondered at what point it would be ok to do this?

cut them whenever you want. You can also nibble them away if required

When she's asleep.

We call it 'Ninja Style' :)

Any time you like. But clippers or teeth are less likely to do damage than scissors.

Dd had to have her nails cut the day she was born! They were soooo long!

I can't remember when I first cut my DD's nail but, maybe when your DD's nail is not too soft anymore. When I don't cut my DD's nail I just put hand mitten/cloth so she won't scratch herself.

Just file them. dd is 8 months an i still prefer to do a quick file then bother cutting particularly when she is being wiggly. Though I like the ninja plan...might give that a go :)

I used to bite them when she was very tiny, but I like biting nails anyway so that was no hardship.

But if you use baby nail clippers there is very little chance of cutting the skin. I tend to do it after a bath, and put something bright on the TV so she's distracted for two minutes while I cut them.

I always just bit them when feeding her, but agree with MummyDuck, it needed doing from when she was born!

I've filed my baby's nails from about 6 weeks, nibbled them before then. Filing is much better!

DD had her nails cut on the day she was born as she managed to scratch her face.

Unfortunely DH managed to cut her finger in the process and has never been allowed to forget it!

With ds they needed cutting the day he was born, his nails and toe nails were ridiculously long, the nurse in SCUBU did them, he was 8 weeks early too, if he'd gone to full term they would have been like talons!

I filed DS' nails, when he was snoozing on my lap after a feed. One feed on one side, one hand filed. Next feed on the other side, other hand.

I used the tools I prefer on my own nails. I know how to manipulate them. Baby clippers were so fiddly, felt like the risk of cutting him was much higher.

I use clippers while she's napping. Have to wait till the hit the 'floppy' stage of sleep :)

I used adult nail clippers from birth. Used to do it while DS was feeding. To begin with it was about twice a week. My chest looked like I had been attacked by a wild beast.