The Nosebleed Test

24w1d- Yesterday, I had the worst nosebleed I’ve ever had. Or ever seen anyone have for that matter. Worse than when an outside linebacker blindsides the quarterback and knocks the QB’s helmet off, exposing his nose. It was, in a word, a gusher. 

I know nosebleeds are common during pregnancy. You have a ton of extra blood pumping through your body and your delicate capillaries inside your nostril are closer to the surface than before. Anything can abruptly turn the faucet on. For me, it was eating breakfast. You know, that strenuous, physical act of eating breakfast. (Wow our bodies are going through a lot!) But this nosebleed was different. It took almost 30 minutes to get it to stop. 

Annoying and debilitating as it was, it actually served, in a strange kind of way, as a small glimpse into how my husband and I will handle the potentially stressful medical situations that are inevitably in our future. In no way am I saying a nosebleed is entirely analogous to giving birth. But it did show how we’d both act under pressure. 

I ran into the bathroom to get a tissue. Jason continued to entertain our guests that were over for breakfast. He didn’t immediately freak out. It was just a nosebleed. I love that he gave me my space to survey the situation and didn’t instantly become alarmed. When I realized that it was really bad, I called him into the bathroom. Then he came running. He knows that I’ll only call him if it’s serious. I’m not a girl who cries wolf, and he trusts that. On my end, even when it wouldn’t stop bleeding, I didn’t freak out. I kept calm and just plotted the solution. Jason supplied the tissues and Googled what to do as I kept the pressure on my poor gushing nose. We decided that if it didn’t stop after 30 minutes, we’d head to the doctor to make sure there wasn’t another underlying issue. 

The best part? I was sitting with my head down and eyes close, and felt Jason come sit right behind me. He wrapped his arms around me and scratched my back. He put his ear on my back to listen to my heartbeat to make sure it wasn’t abnormally elevated for some reason. It was so sweet and supportive. He didn’t leave my side until the bleeding had stopped completely. He could have left after it showed signs of letting up. But he stayed. I’m not surprised, but I’m impressed at how he handled everything. For the rest of the day, he didn’t let me lift a finger. 

It’s crazy to think that I will absolutely be in the hospital this year. But I know that when the time comes and we’re rushing to the hospital in appropriate chic-flick fashion, we’ll stay calm and handle it as a team. 

Did you have any crazy nosebleeds or other strange pregnancy symptoms?

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