For someone who doesn't have a baby, this topic probably sounds ridiculous.  However, when you are first handed your newborn and see how long their little delicate nails are, you think, "How am I suppose to cut those without cutting their finger?!"

It took the help of my neighbor to be able to do a decent job the first week we had Abigail home. In the hospital, they recommend you file them and not use clippers. If you ever tried filing an infants nail it's like trying to file paper. It just shreds! Another suggestion was to bite them myself, but that was a challenge too. I have a few sets of clippers, but one particular set is my favorite. I can see the nail while cutting, and it gives my hand good control of the clipping. Although I use to clip then while she nursed, she now pulls her hand away. I find the best way is to hold her on my lap facing away and distract her with another person or toy. It also helps to pull the skin down under the nail you are clipping to get all nail..and no skin!  Everyone I know has snipped a little skin at least once, which hurt them more than the baby. But of course we want to avoid that. I have both clippers in the photo made by Safety First. I do NOT like the orange set. They are too big for such little hands. I find the white one works great! It's also good to have an extra on hand to throw in the diaper bag when traveling. It's amazing how sharp those little talons can get...and how easily they scratch themselves on the face when their nails aren't nice and trim.

I clip her nails about twice a week and toes every other. At least I know she's healthy. Her cells grow fast! Now, if only I could find the time to paint my own!