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libbyann
member
Nail Cutting - Reassure me, please.
libbyann
member
Ever since the very first time we cut Will's toenails, he's screamed bloody murder. When he could talk, he started telling us that it hurts. To my knowledge, I've never cut him/nicked him with the clippers and about a year ago I started clipping them on the long-ish side just in case I was going too short and that was what was making it "owie." He cries when we cut his fingernails too, but he shakes, screams, and fights whenever we do his toenails...the fingernails are just a few tears.
There's no way he could have some defect that makes him actually have feeling in his nails, right? I just cut his nails and it makes me feel like a horrible person because of the way he carries on, but they were so long that they were curling around his toes 
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Re: Nail Cutting - Reassure me, please.
could you try using a file instead of clipping?
Gracie does that too. It does not hurt them, but I guess in their minds they think it should. Hopefully he gets better about it soon!
ugh, no clue how to help
I've never heard of nerves in human nails. Could he have ingrown corners? Are the regularly that long when you try to clip them? Once the curve I would imagine it to 'feel' when you life the nail to cut it.
grasping at straws here :
B&W Photo by Wildhouse Photography
No, they're not normally that long...I've just been putting it off b/c I knew it was going to be a huge fight! Definitely waited too long and won't be doing that again.
Glad we're not alone...not sure what to do about it, still, but hopefully he'll grow out of it eventually!!
Abby finally started telling me that I hold her hand too tight and that's what hurts. I told her if she sat still I wouldn't have to squeeze her to death. It got a little easier over time. I also only cut their nails after bath when they are really soft so they don't make that "snap" sound or feel as jarring. We also had to bribe her with chocolate for a couple months at one point too. Maybe you could try nail polish? We don't do nail polish in our house but for a lot of kids, they'll sit still for nails if there's polish involved.
Personally, I think the Pedi should do it. You know, like when you take your dog or cat to the vet? Sometimes they'll cut their nail? I wish the pedi office would do it too
A girl can always dream right!?
If you don't do it very often the skin at the end of the toe doesn't get a chance to keratinize so it can be pretty sensitive. The trimming itself doesn't hurt, but anything touching that freshly exposed skin can feel both strange and painful. The only way for it to toughen up is for it to be exposed, and for it to be more exposed is to trim little bits more often. I know, it sucks.
I used to do one nail a day on H. By the time you do the last one, the first is ready to be trimmed again. Once she was okay with that and understood that it wasn't actually painful and it was really quick, I asked her if I could do two, one on each foot/hand. Same thing for Zee, and they were both a little younger than W when they started their nail trimming freak outs.
I get this. Especially on my thumbs. Probably because I type/sidebar with the side of my thumb and nail.
Maybe its how you do it? I always clip the nail starting at one side and clip clip clip my way across the nail. The first time DH went to clip Jakob's nails, he tried to take it off with one clip, with the clipper in the middle of his nail. He thought it would be faster that way but it makes it hurt because you flatten out the nail as you cut it. Does that make sense?
Just a thought.