My mother warned me not to cut our newborn’s nails – we’re supposed to bite them with our teeth. Evidently, everyone in Ironton, Ohio knows babies grow up to be thieves if you do. But Google found the opposite to be true across the river in Kentucky, where common convictions hold that a baby’s finger nails can be cut, but only by someone other than the mother.

Biting can be the safest (and easiest) way to trim a baby’s fingernails, but those of us with porcelain incisors may find that a flashlight baby nail clipper does the job just fine. Nap time also makes for an easier task at it. Whatever way you find that works for you, clipping nails prevents scratches and dirt from accumulating. It’s worth figuring out.