Clipping Nails

Clipping fingernails. I remember as a child, letting my mom clip my nails and then hating the feeling of short, freshly clipped nails. The way you can feel your finger right up to the nail.

I always wanted long fingernails because I thought they were pretty. But I took piano lessons and had a weekly reminder that long fingernails were bad for pianists. However, I still love the way long nails sound drummed against a desk or typing on a keyboard.

I don't know when exactly it occurred to me but for years before I became a mother clipping baby fingernails seemed like the largest sign of dependance. I thought of little babies scratching their own faces accidentally.

Once I started parenting, I realized there were much bigger things I should worry about when it comes to baby care. Like, they can't feed themselves or wipe their own bums. But those things didn't bother me.... just clipping nails. Of course, I wasn't aware of the fact that you had to wait four months before baby nails were clippable. Or realize how difficult it actually is to clip baby nails.

Even when my little one is asleep, she has her blanket grasped between her hands so it's a challenge to even get her fingers without waking her up. I had one successful attempt at nail clipping before I laid her in the crib, but now she usually won't fall asleep until she's laid down.

My second nail clipping attempt was terrible. I got four nails and then came to the thumb. I must not have had the nail lined up right, because one I clipped she woke up screaming. I noticed blood and realized I got the skin. So I let my husband finish her other hand and prayed the nails would grow slowly.

They did not. I seriously considered putting her back in baby mittens to avoid clipping her nails. But I knew she would hate that so I had to pull up my mommy pants and clip the claws. I slowly made my way nail after nail until they were finished. Most are already grown out again, 2 days later, but I did it!

Motherhood has largely been baptism by fire. There was no amount of reading or practice that could have adequately prepared me for the task at hand. However, when I think of our first night home and how disastrous it seemed and how comfortable I now feel with my daughter I realize I must have learned a thing or two.

Our first night home. It all looked about like this.

I will often find myself using social media or the internet as a resource for what to expect. I've found that this can sometimes be the worst thing to do! While I have no experience to draw on for raising a baby, women sharing their experiences and opinions online will generally yield just as little help. When my daughter first went 6 hours through the night I remember waking up and being so scared because she hadn't eaten yet! I woke my husband who said DO NOT wake her up. I then googled what to do (just to be safe). The results were: 1) if it had been more than 2-3 hours, my baby was probably already dead, 2) some babies can go 4-5 hours; if it's been longer than that, wake her up, or 3) your baby knows when to eat, let her sleep. After a quick text to my mom, I decided that yes, my baby did know best and I'd let her sleep (which was only about 5 minutes after all my research).

The moral of the story: TRUST YOURSELF AND YOUR BABY! I catch myself comparing my baby to others all the time when I see pictures on Instagram or Facebook. I start to worry that she's not sitting by herself or eagerly downing rice cereal. But she's happy and she's healthy! And at the end of the day no amount of googling, reading, or Facebook stalking is going to teach me the best way to raise her.

I know there's still a LOT to learn and I eagerly look forward to all the years of learning and mothering I've got!