How to Clip an Infant's Toenails

Approaching your infant's soft toenails with a pair of sharp clippers may make you feel queasy, but keeping them trimmed is important. Too-long toenails can snag on socks, booties or blankets, and they can also split or tear painfully. Toenails don't grow as quickly as fingernails, so you won't need to cut them as often. Use a pair of baby nail clippers to safely cut your baby's toenails.

Things You'll Need

  • Baby clippers

Instructions

    • 1

      Make sure that the baby is secure and will not move during the toenail trim. This may mean asking someone else to hold or distract your baby, catching your newborn during a deep sleep or giving your older baby something to look at and something to hold in her free hand.

    • 2

      Grasp one toe gently and pull the pad away from the nail.

    • 3

      Slide one part of the clippers under the nail, leaving a little of the nail's white part so that you avoid cutting the toenail too close to the skin. If the baby clippers you are using include a magnifying glass, you can use it to ensure that the clippers are placed correctly.

    • 4

      Press down on the lever to clip the nail. Repeat this process until all toenails are cut.

    • 5

      File the rough edges of the toenails with an emery board or small nail file. Keep in mind that toenails should be cut in a relatively straight line, and you should not round the edges like you would with fingernails.

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