Taking a Fingerprint: How to Get a Good Print of Your Baby

A fingerprint is as unique as your child. On a pendant or ring, it’s with you every day. To ensure the fine lines are clearly visible later on, you’ll need a little patience and the right moment when taking the print. Here’s how to take your baby’s fingerprint, which finger is best, what common mistakes to avoid, and how to do it with older children and adults.

When is the best time to take your baby’s fingerprint?

Fingerprints begin to form while the baby is still in the womb. They’re already there at birth, but they’re still very faint and small. That’s why LIINI recommends taking the print for jewelry starting at 6 months. However, the age at which the lines become clearly visible varies from child to child.

So there’s no need to rush: An order with LIINI remains valid indefinitely. If the print isn’t clear yet, just wait a few weeks and upload the photo later.

The moment is more important than the age. A baby who’s kicking or clenching their hand into a fist will make it difficult for you. Good opportunities include:

• While sleeping: If your baby is sleeping soundly, their hand is usually relaxed and open. According to LIINI, this is the easiest way to get a good print.
• After breastfeeding or a bottle: Well-fed babies are often sleepy and relaxed.
• After a bath: Their hands are clean. Be sure to dry them thoroughly, though, and wait a few minutes until the skin is completely dry.

Taking the print won’t hurt your baby. If it doesn’t work today, that’s no problem. Just stop and try again another day.

Which finger works best?

For babies, the thumb usually works best: It has the largest surface area, and it’s easy for you to grip. The index finger is a good alternative if the baby hides their thumb in their fist.

Feel free to take prints from two or three fingers. You’ll then be able to see on the card which one is the clearest. If you’d like a pendant featuring two children, take a separate print from each child. LIINI digitally processes the print and laser-engraves it 1:1, scaled to fit the size of the pendant or ring.

Taking a Fingerprint with the Kit: Step by Step

If you order a necklace or ring with a fingerprint, LIINI will send you the fingerprint kit by mail at no cost. Inside, you’ll find step-by-step instructions, non-toxic ink pads, a fingerprint card with a QR code for uploading, and a full-size ring template. Be sure to read through the instructions in the kit carefully before you start.

1. Get everything ready. Place the card on a firm, flat surface, such as a table or a book. Open the color strip and have a wet wipe ready for afterward.
2. Prepare your finger. Your finger must be clean and dry, with no cream, milk, or baby food residue. Hold it gently by the middle joint, not the tip.
3. Pick up the color: Lightly dab the fingertip briefly on the color strip. Do not rub or swirl it back and forth, or too much color will end up on your skin.
4. Making a Fingerprint Place your finger straight on the card, press it gently, and lift it straight up. Make several fingerprints next to each other so you can choose the best one later.
5. Check Examine the prints in good light. Do you see fine, continuous lines? If so, you’ve done it. Then wipe your finger with a wet wipe.
6. Take a Photo and Upload It Set your smartphone’s camera to the highest resolution. Lay the card flat—don’t hold it in your hand—and take a photo of it from directly above. If your camera isn’t good enough, you can also scan the card. Use the QR code to upload the image along with your order number and email address. For a ring, specify the ring size.

LIINI then prepares the impression, engraves it onto your piece of jewelry using a laser, and ships it via insured, trackable shipping.

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Most failed prints have the same causes: too much ink, too much pressure, or a finger that slips. Go through this checklist before taking the print and before uploading it:

• Your finger should be clean and completely dry, with no lotion or moisture from the bath.
• Just dab it briefly on the ink strip. Too much ink will fill the grooves, and the print will turn into a smudge.
• Press gently. Too much pressure will smear the lines.
• Place your finger straight down and lift it straight up, without smudging.
• The card is resting on a firm surface and doesn’t move.
• You’ve made several prints, not just one.
• At least one print shows fine, unbroken lines all the way to the edge.
• The photo is sharp, bright, and free of shadows, taken at the highest resolution.
• The card is lying flat and was photographed from above, not at an angle.
• You checked all the details before uploading, including the ring size.

Fingerprints of Older Children and Adults

With toddlers, taking fingerprints becomes a game. Explain to your child that you’re going to make a “finger stamp,” and demonstrate it first on your own finger. Many children are eager to join in when they’re allowed to press their finger down themselves. Still, gently guide their finger so it doesn’t slip. If it doesn’t work, try again at a quieter time of day.

Adults can also preserve their fingerprints—for example, to create a piece of jewelry featuring the fingerprint of a partner or grandparent. The basic guidelines are the same as for babies: a clean, dry finger; a small amount of ink; and gentle pressure. If the lines are faint, try again with even less ink.

To make a ring, use the ring sizer included in the kit to determine the size. The LIINI fingerprint ring is available in three sizes with inner diameters of 16.5 mm, 17.3 mm, and 18.1 mm.

Fingerprint Jewelry: Necklace or Ring?

At LIINI, the fingerprint is transformed into a unique, one-of-a-kind piece. You can choose from necklaces featuring a fingerprint and rings featuring a fingerprint:

The necklace is available for one child or two children, with the engraving options “Single,” “Duo,” or “Heart.” The gold-plated versions are not made of real gold, but feature a high-quality 18-karat gold plating on 925 sterling silver. You can find all models under ” Fingerprint Jewelry.”

From LIINI

LIINI® Fingerprint necklace bobble silver169.99€–189.99€Price range: 169.99€ through 189.99€incl. VATView product →LIINI® Fingerprint necklace Anchor silver169.99€–189.99€Price range: 169.99€ through 189.99€incl. VATView product →LIINI® Signet ring with fingerprint silver129.99€incl. VATView product →

Jewelry featuring a fingerprint is also a popular gift—for example, from a partner to the mother. You can find more ideas in the “Gifts for a Newborn” guide. The “Essential Items” checklist shows what parents really need in the first few weeks.

When the print is a keepsake

Some parents want to preserve the fingerprint of a child they have lost. If you find yourself in this situation, take all the time you need. Ask the midwife or the hospital staff if they can help you take a fingerprint. If you’d like to have it made into a piece of jewelry, contact the LIINI team in advance so you can work together to determine whether the print is suitable. In Switzerland, the Fachstelle Kindsverlust.ch offers support for affected parents.

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources

1. Kindsverlust.ch – Center of Excellence for Early Child Loss, Kindsverlust.ch Specialist Office