Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Beauty Lesson #1

Flailing

Screaming

Tears streaming down the face

What is it about the nail clipping time that makes little ones freak out? Mine had a complete meltdown today. One that lasted 30 minutes after I finished cutting the nails. I don't usually snip the end of her fingers. I'm just that talented. And usually she doesn't freak out quite so bad.

However, today was extra difficult. I did really well in the beginning. I made it through 10 toes and 9 fingers.

2 Snips left.

1 out of 2. Good.

Last snip. . .

Oh No!

She jerked her hand at the last second.

Got it.

Her finger nail AND the end of her thumb.

Bleeding on mom's shirt.

I felt so bad. I don't want to inflict pain on my Sweet Pea. I guess we have to educate early. (3 months isn't too early is it?)

Lesson #1:
Pain is Beauty

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What did you do to simplify the nail cutting process and to avoid painful endings?

7 comments:

Jen said...

ALWAYS do it when they are sleeping.

the fellers said...

my mom always told me to do it while they were sleeping, but my kids were always too light of sleepers for that to work, but maybe it will work for you?

Mer said...

I either avoid it for weeks on end until I've been clawed to shreds, or I just do it. And accepted that sometimes, they were gonna get cut and I shouldn't take it as a sign that I was a miserable parent. Preemie fingernails are the WORST to cut.

The red cross makes a pair of baby nail clippers that have a magnifying glass attached, and those helped a little. Also, clipping after or in the bathtub helps. The water softens up the nails, so they're easier to cut, and their skin prunes up so that if you do catch some finger, it's just skin and doesn't bleed as much. They also aren't as sensitive because they're already in the water.

When she's a little older, you can try a little light nail filing every day. Most kids think it just tickles, and it helps them jerk less when you do clip their nails.

Good luck

Serene is my name, not my life! said...

Oh darn, poor thing! I hate when that happens!

The cutting while sleeping thing only worked on a couple of my kids.

So I started doing it while they were eating. If I was nursing, my husband would do it, if they were sucking on a bottle, I'd do it.

It was pure genius.

Andrea said...

I had someone at church tell me they bite them until they are older and it is easier not to cut the end of their fingers. I always just did it!

Alicia said...

I used to file their nails until they got a bit older. I've also done it while they were sleeping.

Phannie said...

Thanks.

She doesn't sleep very deeply during the day so I don't think that time will work. (I only got through one foot when trying to paint her nails while sleeping)

I will have to try snipping them while feeding.

The whole bite your nails thing just doesn't work for me. My SIL does that, but it grosses me out. Being a Massage Therapist just made some yucky habits horrific for me.

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