Nothing makes parents coo more than cute, little baby fingers wrapped around their own.
But trimming the tiny nails on the ends of those wiggly fingers can be a hard task. Trimming is important, though&mdash;babies with long or jagged nails can easily scratch themselves, usually on the face. 
Babies&rsquo; nails grow fast and may need to be trimmed up to twice a week. To make trimming time easier, follow these tips from the <a href="http://www.netreturns.biz/healthinfo/bouncelink.aspx?shortcut=aap" target="_blank">American Academy of Pediatrics</a>:
<ul>
 <li>Trim baby's nails after a bath when they are soft&mdash;if your baby will hold still. </li>
 <li>For active babies, try trimming when they are asleep. </li>
 <li>Use a soft emery board, baby nail clippers or blunt-nosed toenail scissors. </li>
 <li>Ask a partner to gently hold the baby&rsquo;s hand while you trim. </li>
 <li>Gently press the finger pad down and out of the way as you cut to avoid nipping the skin. </li>
 <li>If you accidentally draw blood, apply pressure with a sterile gauze pad. </li>
 <li>Keep nails as smoothly trimmed as possible. </li>
</ul>
Reviewed 12/4/2023

Caring for a baby’s nails

Tips for safe trimming.