Babies Growth & Development How to Take Care of Your Baby's Fingers and Toes By Jennifer White Jennifer White has authored parenting books and has worked in childcare and education fields for over 15 years. Learn about our editorial process Jennifer White Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Sarah Rahal, MD on August 31, 2020 linkedin Sarah Rahal, MD is a double board-certified adult and pediatric neurologist and headache medicine specialist. Learn about our Review Board Sarah Rahal, MD on August 31, 2020 Print Newborn fingers and toes are tiny, and they need special attention as your baby grows. Keeping the skin soft and the nails trimmed and clean requires some extra planning and care. 1 How to Keep Baby's Nails Trimmed Mike Kemp / Getty Images You will need to keep your baby's nails well-trimmed. Despite how paper-thin baby fingernails can be, they can seem like little claws at times. Since your newborn does not have perfectly developed motor control yet, he will often bat his arms around, scratching himself in the process. Baby fingernails grow fast, so you will need to trim them twice a week. Toenails are not as sharp and grow slower, so you will only need to trim them once or twice a month. Always use clean nail clippers, a soft emery board, or blunt-nosed toenail scissors to keep your baby's nails at the right length. Don't cut too close to the skin, but do not panic if you see a drop of blood, because your baby will heal quickly. Do not bite your child's nails to trim them because that can give your baby an infection. 2 Check Fingers and Toes Frequently You might be surprised by how much lint, hair, and fuzz balls can collect in your baby's fingers and toes. Newborns especially, tend to have a tight grasp, which is a normal aspect of newborn development. You might even find hair wrapped tightly around a finger or toe. It is a good idea to check your baby's hands and feet at every diaper change and to use a baby wipe to clean her hands and feet. If you notice any injuries to the fingertips, it should heal on its own. But stay aware of signs of infection, such as redness, puffiness, or warmth. 3 Protect Hands With Baby Mittens Baby mittens are an excellent way to protect your baby's hands and to keep her from scratching herself. When packing for the hospital, stow a pair of baby mittens to be used after delivery. Consider sliding on a pair just before your baby has any procedures done that might cause him to move his arms around. Some parents use little socks to protect babies from scratching themselves. Socks, like mittens, work well until the baby ends up losing them, an exceedingly common occurrence. 4 Use Gentle Baby Lotions Whether you use baby lotions or not is your choice. If your baby doesn't seem to have any dry patches, lotion may not be necessary. However, many parents moisturize their baby's skin with a gentle lotion. It is not uncommon for your baby's skin to peel in the weeks after birth. Though peeling skin is not dangerous or painful, and it likely doesn't bother your baby, you may use a baby lotion if you want to keep your baby's skin looking smooth and soft. Apply lotion within a few minutes following a bath to help lock in the moisture. You won't need to use much at any one time, because a little will go a long way. 5 Watch out for Ingrown Toenails Every now and then, your baby might develop an ingrown toenail. If you have ever had one, you know how painful they can be. Be sure to trim your baby's toenails regularly, which can help to prevent ingrown toenails. Clip toenails straight across with nail clippers and do not round the edges down. 6 Keeping Feet Covered Depending on the climate, you may need to keep your baby's feet covered for warmth and protection. However, newborn baby socks are very easy to kick off and they may not be the best choice. It may be easier to use baby coveralls that have the feet built in. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Track your baby’s most exciting moments with our milestone checklist. Get it free when you sign up for our newsletter. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. KidsHealth from Nemours. Trimming your baby’s nails. Updated May 2017. US National Library of Medicine. Infant reflexes. Updated October 2017. US National Library of Medicine. Paronychia. Updated April 2019. KidsHealth from Nemours. Looking at your newborn: what's normal. Updated January 2018. Haneke E. Controversies in the treatment of ingrown nails. Dermatol Res Pract. 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/783924 Additional Reading Nail Care: Fingers and Toes. American Academy of Pediatrics.