I'm having a hard time cutting DD's nails.

Whe she was 2 months, I tried cutting her nails with clippers. I accidently clipped her finger and she cried and cried for over 20 minutes and it took that long to get the bleeding to stop. I haven't cut them since with clippers, I've just been biting them off.

Now she doesn't like me to bite her nails anymore and they are starting to scratch me. DH has tried to cut her nails but he doesn't have much luck. We've tried in the tub, when she was sleepy, right out of the tub...we can't get anything to work. I think DH really just doesn't want to do it and I can still remember that day like it was yesterday. I'm so scared to do it.

Any tips?

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wait until she's DEAD ASLEEP! You know, where you can lift her arm up and it's a wet noodle? That's the only time I can trim DS toenails. Even then, I can only get a few at a time before he starts pulling away in his sleep. His feet are extremely ticklish.

You could also try bribery (my favorite parenting trick). DS gets a piece of candy/chocolate if he holds still and lets me trim his fingernails. Offer her a popsicle or something.

I also use cuticle nippers to trim DS nails (or at least I used to when he was smaller). You get a little more control than using the regular nail clippers. Or you could try a pair of nail scissors (if you can find a pair without a pointed end).

The night he was born, I was trimming his nails and cut him. He slept through it, but I still feel bad. he'll be three in November and I still remember it clearly!

Have you tried just clipping the very edge of the nail to make a piece to hold on to and pulling the rest of the long part of the nail off? It pulls off exactly what you would be clipping and it is very fast and easy.

I had some issues with DS as well. First, I had to stop saying "cut" his nails and start referring it to "trim", as he referenced "cut" to pain (like cutting himself on something). Even after more issues, finally I resorted to making a game out of it. We'd see how far we could make his nails fly when I clipped them off. Gross I know. But by doing that, he got to be more comfortable with it. He sits on my lap and I wrap my arms around him and cut them like that. I couldn't twist and turn my arms and hands around to do it with him sitting or laying down or anything.. It's just too hard for me. I did cut them many a time when he was dead asleep too, but I had to be quick and gentle, because he too has ticklish feet. Anyway, once he got comfy with the idea, now I can just tell him "you have to have them TRIMMED" and he's fine with it. Try to keep them occupied watching tv or something when they're littler and not so used to it.

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This works for me too, when she pulls away mid-clip. Right now I clip her nails while she is reading a book (she LOVES to read) and she's been good about letting me do it. Previously I would have to do it everyday and just get 2 or 3 until she really started screaming.

I don't think my DH has EVER trimmed her nails, so you are not alone there

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It's not what you make; it's what you spend.

I still have memories of when DH trimmed my oldest DS' nails and cut his finger. That was over 16 years ago.

I would wait until they were totally asleep and then either bite them off or clip them. That's the only way that worked well for us.

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SAHM of 4

August food budget (groceries/take-out): $500.00/$75.00
Total spent: $238.97/$14.12

July budget/spent: $500.00/$650.00

I always waited till they were asleep to cut there nails when they were little, sometimes even sneaking into there rooms at naptime and trimming them while they were in there cribs. Now that they are 5 & 2 I do it while they watch tv after there bath, when the nail is nice and soft.

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"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous