How to cut your baby’s nails


by Emily Gilbert |
Updated on

There's understandably a lot to take in when your birth is first born but one surprising thing you might have noticed about your new arrival is just how long their fingernails are. Now while these look tiny, they still need to be cut.

Why do baby's nails need to be cut?

Babies fingernails are so small and they may be soft in the early days but they can still be sharp, potentially causing your baby to scratch both themselves and even you. They actually grow at quite a quick rate too so it's wise to keep them clean and trim them, however scary it may feel.

Best at a glance:

  • Best for its quiet motor sound: Electric Baby Nail File Trimmer, £19.99

  • Best for its flexible design: Baby Nails – The Thumble, £10.49

  • Best for its LED light: Megainvo Baby Nail File Clipper Trimmer, £14.99

  • Best for its rounded tip: DREAMBABY® Baby nail file, £2.99

What do I need to cut my baby's nails?

All that is required to cut your child's nails is either a specific baby nail clipper or small, curved safety scissors. Alternatively, you might like to use a soft emery board.

How to cut your baby's nails

  • Your baby will pick up if you feel stressed, so try to stay calm. Equally, wait till they seem to calm or are even asleep before trying to cut their nails.

  • If your little one has jagged nails rather than long, instead of scissors, use an emery board to gently file away the edges.

  • Take one of your baby's fingers and hold it firmly.

  • Press your baby's finger pad away from the nail as you trim and hold it there. This will help you to avoid potentially catching the skin.

  • Put the clippers under the nail and press down slowly until the nail is cut. Or alternatively, use scissors.

  • If you accidentally cut your baby's finger by mistake, stay calm and don't panic. Simply apply pressure with a cotton ball or tissue until the bleeding stops.

  • If you don't manage to do all your baby's nails at once, don't worry! Just try to finish the job later.

How often should I cut my baby's nails?

When they are very small, you may find that you need to file your baby's fingernails every few days but eventually, you'll only need to do this around once a month.

Baby nail care buys

Best for its flexible design

Baby Nailsu2122 - The Wearable Baby Nail File
Price: £10.49

www.boots.com

This clever product offers a hands-free solution as the nail file is attached to the wearable Thumble so you can care for your baby without the worry of dropping the nail file.

One mum review said: “Great product, and easy to use. Can’t help you wrangle a toddler that doesn’t want their nails trimmed, but it does help you avoid cutting their skin with scissors or traumatising them with an electric nail file. They also seem intrigued by it being on your thumb, so it keeps them distracted long enough to do one finger. The nail file pads are really easy to attach to the thimble, and once stuck on properly they don’t come off when being used. Would definitely recommend.”

Pros

  • Easy to use and a safer alternative to the sharp blades of baby nail clippers
  • The Baby Nails New Baby Pack is the perfect nail care solution to file your baby’s tiny and delicate nails from birth

Cons

  • One review said the files are hard to use on small fingernails

Best for its LED light

Made with one-button design, this electric nail file makes it easy to trim baby's nails and toenails. The controlled speed modes and smooth coarse edge won't harm baby's cuticles or soft nail beds.

One parent review said: “Cutting nails of a newborn is important, to avoid the baby scratching itself all over its face. I always found it hard to do, as my baby would move a lot and was scared using baby clippers to cut the nails. As the baby moves, you could end up cutting extra skin or cutting their nails. I was advised to use a a baby nail trimmer to make things easier so ended up buying this.
There are multiple roughness adapters for the different ages, which is clearly marked. Both batteries and the filing adapters are easy to place onto the body. The trimmer itself has different speed options, and also has a left and right option, which can reverse the direction of the filler, making it easier to use.”

Pros

  • Made with one-button design
  • The LED light illuminates the area you are working on to gently file and trim
  • Easy to spin to trim baby's nail and toenail, 

Cons

  • AA battery operated (not included)

Best for its rounded tip

This cute baby manicure set is designed to give your little bubba the perfect experience. The set contains everything you need to help keep your little one's nails clean and safe to trim. The pack comes with a set of nail clippers, baby scissors and four emery boards, all well designed for easy handling and use.

One review said: "For the pretty low price, I didn't expect much but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the scissors and the nail clippers. I can say that the quality is very comparable to the TT ones."

Pros

  • Safety scissors have comfortable handles and a rounded tip for added safety
  • The small nail clipper edges are curved for safer trimming

Cons

  • Only 10 left in stock

Best for its non-slip soft material

nuk manicure set for babies
Price: £17.90

The rounded tips of these nail scissors ensure extra safety while tending to your baby's nails. The cutting surfaces are made of stainless steel and the handle is lined with non-slip soft material. A protective cap made of plastic is included for safe storage.

One review said: "Great nail scissors for cutting newborn fingernails. It has a rounded, making it easy to use without risking hurting the child. They also include a safety case that keeps the blades locked and prevents them from opening when they fall."

Pros

  • Cuts safely and precisely
  • Rounded tips
  • Available in four contemporary colours

Cons

  • One review said the ends of the scissors are not curved which makes them harder to use 

Best for its quiet motor sound

Tommee Tippee electric nail filer
Price: £19.99

www.boots.com

Just right for smoothing and trimming your baby’s nails, This Tommee Tippee nail trimmer is perfect for the whole family. A handheld electric baby nail trimmer will help and make sure that their toes and fingernails are clipped safely and comfortably. The quiet motor can be used at any time of the day, even when your baby decides to take a quite nap. It also comes with LED lights for safety and a clearer vision, and also features three special and super subtle files for your baby’s tiny nails (ultra-fine, fine, and medium). 

One mum review said: "I used on my 5 month old baby and on my 2 year old toddler, it is easy to use and feels very safe. my baby was occasionally laughing as I used it on her nails."

Pros

  • Nail trimming made easy
  • With 1 button you can control the speed and rotation
  • Featuring a quiet motor and in-built soft glow LED light aimed at fingernails

Cons

  • ‎2 AA batteries required

Best for its price

The curved clipper nail protects, and the tiny blades are rightly sized for snipping and trimming with peace of mind. You'll be able to smoothen out any sharp, rough or bumpy edges caused by cutting and clipping with the emery board for the best results.

Pros

  • Sized for tiny fingers and toenail
  • Super easy to hold

Cons

  • Use all items in this kit under adult super at all times

Best for its BPA free plastic material

BABY NAIL KIT by HYAIDERTECH
Price: £8.62

There's everything you could need for baby nail care in this cute little kit. You'll recieve: children's nail scissors, a children's nail clipper, a soft file and even tweezers too, all housed in a handy case to keep everything safe and in one place.

One review said: “I’ve struggled with battery files and small nail clippers on my toddler for ages, and then I bought this. The little nail scissors in it are shaped in such a way you can safely cut the nails of wiggly toes and fingers. So much easier and quicker to use on my toddler, and the owl container keeps them entertained while you’re doing it.”

Pros

  • This grooming kit is essential for your baby and includes non-slip handle baby nail clippers 
  • The curved cutting edges make nail clipping much easier and faster

Cons

  • One review said the tweezers were quite fragile

A journalist since 2015, Emily Gilbertis the Features & Reviews Editor for Mother&Baby and has written for the website and previously the magazine for seven years. Emily writes about everything from the top baby products to pregnancy, fertility and maternal mental health. Specialising in product reviews, Emily is the first to know about all the exciting new releases in the parenting industry.

Just so you know, we may receive a commission or other compensation from the links on this website - read why you should trust us
How we write our articles and reviews
Mother & Baby is dedicated to ensuring our information is always valuable and trustworthy, which is why we only use reputable resources such as the NHS, reviewed medical papers, or the advice of a credible doctor, GP, midwife, psychotherapist, gynaecologist or other medical professionals. Where possible, our articles are medically reviewed or contain expert advice. Our writers are all kept up to date on the latest safety advice for all the products we recommend and follow strict reporting guidelines to ensure our content comes from credible sources. Remember to always consult a medical professional if you have any worries. Our articles are not intended to replace professional advice from your GP or midwife.