Baby Fingernail Clippers

There were few things that freaked me out more as a brand-new parent than the challenge of cutting an itty-bitty baby's nails. I was relieved when our pediatrician told us that we could get away with just filing them in the early days ... but those days didn't last very long. And even though we swaddled Baba G every night, by the time he was three months old he was wiggling at least one arm out in the wee hours and scratching his face.

Does this cheek gash make me look gangsta?

When the moment of truth finally came and I knew I had no choice but to cut BG's nails with real clippers, I first used the American Red Cross kind for babies (on the right in the picture on the left, and on the bottom in the picture on the right) that I received in a big "Safety and Grooming" kit. 



The experience was a miserable failure because that safety extension on the bottom of the clippers makes it IMPOSSIBLE to clip anything. I had another generic pair of baby clippers that came in a big gift set of grooming items we received from friends, and I realized that the safety extension could slide off, leaving you with simple mini-clippers (as seen on the left and top in the pictures above).

I tried these and they rocked. But I have totally failed you as a baby product blogger because these have no brand! I'm assuming they're the exact same as ANY brand of baby clippers without the safety part clipped on. I see no difference between them and normal adult nail clippers except for their overall size.

I have been lucky in that I have never nicked BGs skin or cuticles (enough) to cause bleeding. But these clippers are definitely sharp and I can see how it could easily happen.

I am also something of a glutton for punishment in that I always clip BG's nails when he's fully awake. This goes against this sage advice which suggests doing it while he's asleep or right after a bath when nails are softest. Or having someone help me hold his arms down.

While writing this post I realized that I have no idea why I never tried the baby nail scissors that we have a few pairs of (which came in those same grooming sets). I've never used nail scissors myself, so that's probably why. But my friend and fellow new mom Claire Z tried out these cute Piyo Piyo baby nail scissors ($6) and was happy with them:

Has anyone else been pleased — or frustrated — with a certain brand of baby nail scissors or clippers? Anyone have any time-tested tips for getting the job done quickly and painlessly?

Johnson's Safety Swabs

We've been extremely lucky in that we've NEVER had to take Baba G's temperature in eight full months. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself.) This had been something I was especially freaked out about, because I knew that "the right way" to take a baby's temperature was rectally. And, for obvious reasons, that was something I was really hoping I wouldn't have to put BG through.

BUT I was prepared to if need be, and had found a thermometer that has a rounded shape so that, to put it bluntly, it's impossible for you to stick it in too far.

Then I learned that there were special baby q-tips made for the exact same reason.

Now, I know you're not supposed to be sticking q-tips deep in anyone's ear, let alone a baby's, in the first place. But if there's a better way to clean out ear wax than gently using a swab around the visible part of the canal, no one's told me about it. So Johnson's Safety Swabs it is.

These things rock. They're not just a scam to get you to buy something that's labeled "BABY," like so many other countless products are—humidifiers, vaporizers, etc., come to mind. How are the baby versions any different from a normal humidifier/vaporizer/etc.? I'll tell you: they're more expensive! They think we're suckers.

Anyway, as you can see below, the safety swabs are shaped differently from a normal Q-tip, and they're great for just getting out really obvious gunk that's built up. I use them on Baba G at least every other day for the past few months (I didn't start using them until he was probably four or five months old—was too scared, plus I hadn't seen any wax).

He seems to actually like the feel of them, and I've never been worried about him making a sudden move and me jamming one in too far.

The bottom line: Johnson's Safety Swabs run from about $1.50 - $2.50 per box of 55. In my book, increased peace of mind about not hurting your kid's ears is definitely worth that small expense. I personally have not seen another brand of safety swabs, though I'm sure Johnson & Johnson's isn't the only company in the game.