How often to cut your baby's nails? | Health180

Cutting a baby's nails and bathing him must undoubtedly be at the top of the things that new parents fear the most. Do not let fear invade you and prevent you from enjoying these moments. We tell you how often to cut your baby's nails and some tips to do it like an expert.

Photo: Pixabay

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I see my newborn niece and she seems so fragile, that if I could be close to her (#StayHome), I'm almost sure I couldn't do anything but watch her. However, that is not a luxury that parents can give themselves, because among all the needs of a baby, there are some that cause more doubts and fear.

Among these are definitely cutting her nails and the inherent fear of hurting her little hands, because we all envy the speed with which they grow.

Photo: Pixabay

How often do you cut your nails?

Specialists recommend incorporating it into your baby's hygiene routine and, in the case of little hands, doing it every week... Although there will be little ones who require 2 cuts per week. As for the feet, they grow more slowly, so it can be once a month, depending on how you see their growth.

When the first nail cut should be, it will depend a lot on your baby: some are born with long nails and others not so long. The ideal is to do it if they protrude from your fingers, because at birth the nails are usually softer and stick to the skin, since they come from a liquid environment; If your little one doesn't "notice" them much, you can wait until 3 weeks old, when they start to harden.

There are many ideas about whether or not you should cut a newborn's nails, however, according to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, this is false: there is no real impediment or scientific basis that does not allow you to do it, as long as take due care.

And always keep an eye on their growth, because the main problem with babies, as indicated by the KidsHealth from Nemours site, is that they do not have muscular control, therefore, when they move their little hands, they can scratch themselves, in addition to running the risk of get caught up in clothes.

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Learn to cut your baby's nails

To reduce the risk due to their movements, it is key to perform this task when they are relaxed or, better, asleep, preferably after the bath, so he/she will not worry and you will not collapse trying to "catch" their nail and not their finger. Here are other recommendations:

1. Use special baby nail clippers and scissors, the latter have a rounded tip to prevent you from hurting their skin. According to the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, if you panic, another option is to use a baby file.

2. Lightly press the fingertip backwards to “separate” the nail and cut off the protrusion, never flush. Do it following the natural line of nail growth and round the ends or file them.

3. Wipe her little hands with a damp cloth when finished, to prevent nail debris from reaching her mouth or eyes.

4. Avoid using your teeth instead of nail clippers. Although it may seem simpler, the American Association of Pediatrics asks to avoid it, as there is a risk that your little one will contract herpetic whitlow, an infection caused by the herpes simplex virus.

5. In case of an accident, because they happen, the recommendation is to gently press the wound with a sterile gauze to stop the bleeding, but avoid at all costs putting band-aids or other type of "healing", as it could end up in your mouth. baby and be a danger.

Finally, a fun fact: according to the American Association of Pediatrics, nails grow approx. 0.1 mm daily, and they do so more quickly in young people, which gives the impression that babies grow from one day to the next, since their proportions are very small.

Ready! Now you know how often to cut your baby's nails and how to do it so that both he/she and you are happy.

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