Mamamia’s Zoe Rochford, an experienced writer and traveller, was right on the money when she decided to include the Nail Snail® 3-in-1 Baby Nail Trimmer in her concise list of must-have items when travelling with a baby. Its award-winning, unique nail shaped design won’t set off all the bells and whistles as you pass through airport security or warrant the need to be frisked. Avoid the embarrassment of accidentally packing contraband like scissors and nail files and pack a Nail Snail® instead…we’ve got you covered!
In case this is your first time hearing about the Nail Snail®, it is an easier, safer, and faster way to trim precious tiny nails. Perfect for taking care of those weekly trims, little nail snags on clothes and grimy buildup under nails. It features a nail file, under-the-nail cleaner and an easy to hold ambidextrous grip, all in the shape of a child friendly snail.
With no moving parts, nasty noise, or clipping action, it also has no need for replacement parts or even sharpening it won’t break down on your travels. Its unique V-shaped trimmer will keep its sharp edge for 30-35 years and is designed to last many adventures. Fun fact it is also great for cutting off annoying elastic bag tags, and trimming those stray loose threads.
Mamamia.com.au has long been a source of inspiration and insight for parents. Travelling with a baby is definitely not for the faint of heart. But if you choose to, then you’ll want to equip yourself with all the right tools to make navigating that journey, and the holiday following your big trip, so much smoother. Being very organised is definitely the key and thankfully, lists like Zoe’s exist, to help us first time international travellers out.
Each of us here at Christie & Christie®, can confirm that we have successfully taken our own Nail Snail®, on a plane, in our hand-held luggage. Yes, internationally too! Now while we wouldn’t recommend actually trimming your little one’s nails on the plane ( and we’re sure your fellow travellers would be thankful that you don’t), it’s reassuring to know you can pack yours, alongside your other baby essentials, in your nappy bag, without causing a fuss at the many security checkpoints along the way.
In addition to the Nail Snail® other travel must haves include:
- Fess Little Nose Spray to aid in relieving babies cold or nasal congestion perfect during flight it gives metered doses and can be used as often as you like.
- Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh Carrier for hands free carrying when cobblestones and sandy beaches get the better of prams and napping on the go just makes travelling so much easier.
- Tommee Tippee Portable Blackout Blind creating a dark environment to help induce the best sleep by replicating the home environment.
- The Sleepmac Portable White Noise Machine is a must when trying to blockout or even blurr the noise around you and create a little bubble of peace for your bub to enjoy their slumber.
I personally love this one The Golden Child Holiday Organic Baby Swaddle with at least 174 uses from breastfeeding privacy to baby bath towel or even a sarong for mum the ‘holiday’s fun bold print has you covered quite literally!
Mamamia has truly curated a well-rounded list of essentials when travelling with baby, and we were so excited to have been named on this list.
If you’re not sure where to get your hands on a Nail Snail® and hate waiting for deliveries, check out our Store Locator Page to find your closest stockist.
Pssst! We have recently upgraded all of our Nail Snail® 3-in-1 Baby Nail Trimmers to … Bundles! They make the perfect gift and feature our gorgeous Turquoise Nail Snail® and handy Canvas Storage Bag. Made from natural cotton canvas material, featuring our colourful logo and drawstring closure it’s a great alternative to gift wrapping and is the best way to store the Nail Snail®.
And if you’re looking to take all the hard work out of packing well we can help with that too! Our Baby Gift Pack is sure to make choosing easy. The pack is filled with handy baby essentials that babies will love and actually use.
Each item has been thoughtfully selected from our range and keep with our snail-tastic theme:
- The award-winning Nail Snail® Baby Nail Trimmer
- The Nail Snail® Canvas Storage Bag
- The new Nail Snail® Teether
- The Nail Snail® Cool Pack
- The family favourite book “Spot and Say Bugs”
- Elinfant Spring Scene Wet Bag
The brightly coloured Nail Snail® Teether was inspired by our adorable Nail Snail® logo, and will engage babies’ attention. They are the perfect size and weight for little hands to grasp and explore. Suitable for babies 3 months and beyond, it has no detachable parts or choking hazards and has various raised areas for little ones to explore and chew on.
The eye stalks were purposely designed for those hard to reach emerging molars at the back of the mouth and the whole teether has this glorious matte, velvety feel to it. The silicone is soft enough that it's flexible but has been independently safety tested and certified – it will absolutely withstand some serious chewing! Cleaning up is a breeze as it is perfectly safe for the top shelf of a dishwasher or can be hand washed with warm soapy water and left to air dry. Available in two beautiful colours – pastel or bold – both with the unique ombre effect, you get to choose which goes into your Nail Snail® Baby Gift Pack.
The Nail Snail® Cool Pack is something all parents will be glad to have on standby in their fridge when life’s little bumps start to happen. Made from non-toxic gel beads, our gender-neutral ice pack may help to cool a fever, soothe minor injuries or bumps and help to reduce bruising. A cool pack designed for little ouchies!
Made from strong PVC plastic, we’ve kept one side clear and embellished with our logo, allowing you to see the gorgeous turquoise beads inside. These beads are made from all new, non-toxic materials and are mesmerising to look at and move around, providing a mini sensory play experience to help calm your little one down.
The reverse side is covered with a super soft polyester material; flocked velvet, which feels lovely and soft against the skin whilst providing a gentler cooling sensation for children who may be a little more sensitive. No more need to wrap an ice pack with a tea towel! It even has a handy strap to make it even easier for little hands to hold; simply loop over the sore ankle or hand and the kids can keep playing. Trust us, they love it.
Books are always a welcome addition to any present, as story time is often such a special, quiet and calm moment especially amongst the chaos of travel.. Spot & Say Bugs is an adorable sturdy board book – perfect for babies with hard to tear pages. Its fill of bright colours, rhyming and counting fun for little ones to explore. Plus, it has lift-the-flap features on each page as a bit of fun, sure to delight and spark imagination.
These goodies are all then packed inside a luxurious, double pocket spring scene wet bag from the high-quality brand, Elinfant. With two functional areas, these bags are not only more environmentally friendly than traditional gift-wrapping materials but are also super handy to keep in nappy bags for soiled clothes or to keep a spare change of clothes in for bub. It features zipper closures, and a cloth press stud handle (perfect to attach to the pram) and is made from waterproof materials to help keep spills and leaks to a minimum while making it super easy to clean. After a trip to the beach or pool, you can fit two pairs of soaking wet kids’ swimmers and two kids towels inside, zip it all up and nothing else will get wet!
So if you’re looking for the perfect gift that is unique, thoughtful and above all USEFUL, then be sure to check out the Nail Snail® or our specially curated Nail Snail® Baby Gift Pack all designed to make life that little bit easier whether at home, out and about or on your travels. So when you're packing for your next big adventure be sure to pack your trusty Nail Snail®!
Written by Summer Vrhovac & Julia Christie