Before baby Finn was born, I didn’t have much experience with nosebleeds. I knew what it was but I haven’t seen it happen to anyone up close (thankfully!). I was hoping to keep it that way too because I tend to go a little weak in the knees when I see massive bleeders.
And then I went and had a baby who makes nosebleeding a regular occurrence so now I’m kind of like a nosebleed expert. By regular, I mean that in the past 6 months, this little guy has had 5 episodes. That’s 5 times too many.
Each one goes more or less like this:
The kids will be in the room playing one of their crazy games like they usually do.
A commotion ensues. There’s some running and screaming and yelling. During which, I’ll hear words like BLOOD! QUICK RUN AWAY!! MOMMMMMM!
They always say not to panic when a bleeder happens but there’s usually only one response when you enter a room to see your toddler covered in blood – which is to throw your hands in the air, shriek a little and run around in circles.
By this time, the baby thinks that we’re playing a super fun game so he starts running around the room, leaving a trail of blood behind him. Btw, have you ever seen a nosebleeding baby sneeze? It’s like how artists create graffiti art with cans of spray paint, except with blood. It lands EVERYWHERE.
Eventually, what you get is a reenactment of the elevator scene from The Shining.
I’ve tried several methods of containment and finally found one that works…BATHTUB TIME!
The only way he’ll let me go anywhere near his nose to attempt to stop the bleeding is when he’s distracted by bath toys. Plus I make sure he only bleeds into the tub instead of all over the entire house.
According to the doctors, nosebleeds are nothing to worry about and the important thing is to keep the baby calm and happy until it stops. What that really means is that baby Finn pretty much gets whatever he wants for the next 2 hours.
This kid makes bleeding look like so much fun.
