Tips and Tricks: Trimming fingernails

As a parent, you're always looking for new and creative ways to get some of those drama-filled tasks accomplished, right? Well there are a few things I've picked up over the years that I'll share with you to hopefully take the tears out and make it a more pleasant experience. On that note, if you have any parenting tips or tricks you think may help another fellow parent out, please email me and I will share them each week! Email: crazygreenmommy at gmail dot com.

Today's Tips and Tricks is on trimming fingernails. 


With my firstborn, the whole fingernail thing was never fun. Even as a small baby she could grow super long fingernails in the blink of an eye. And boy did they get dirty, fast! It was a struggle to get her to hold still for the process. Waiting until she was sleeping never worked as she was a tummy sleeper with her arms tucked under. Once, I nipped her fingertip. It was heart-wrenching for all involved!

Fast forward to when my second was born. One day we were nursing away when I realized his fingers needed a trim. I thought, 'Hmm, he's so content. Maybe I could just...' and I grabbed a pillow to prop him up and free both of my hands. After a quiet shout (oxymoron?) to the hubs to grab the clippers for me, I set to trimming my son's nails. While breastfeeding.

It worked! At least, until recently. Now he's pretty busy grabbing my hair, patting my face, etc. But for 12 long months, we had no trouble and the breastfeeding trick worked like a charm.

For my toddler-aged daughter, what I found works well is to pair nail trimming with fingernail painting. Piggy Paints make great non-toxic polishes, so I am ok with this little bribe. It also helps that I make it a 'party' of sorts and do hers plus whatever friends we have over at the time(with parental permission, of course). There is strength in numbers! (Works for veggies, too. *wink*)

How about you? Any fingernail trimming tricks up your sleeve? Feel free to post them here in comments!