Our story of our baby with a bilateral pleural effusion, not Hydrops as luckily fluid was not found anywhere else.

This was my second pregnancy, and we were all very excited to go to the second and last ultrasound check at 20 weeks exactly, myself, my husband and Jacob (3) were going to visit an ivecream parlour afterwards to celebrate.

Well during the scan the tech was very thorough, and spent a lot of time taking measurements.
She then told us the bad news of baby having a pleural effusion. She showed us the scan and explained that her left lung had totally collapsed (totally black), her heart was pushed right into the right side of her chest, her right lung was also collapsing due to the fluid all around and the heart putting pressure on it. Also her diaphragm was being pushed down, which explained why I'd not felt any hiccups at this point.

We were asked to come back in an hours time to see the foetal consultant, who will rescan her and make any arrangements.

I was in such a state by now, because as a nurse I know that anyone with a chest like that could and would have gone into cardiac arrest.

When we saw the consultant he explained that luckily as its a baby, her heart is all squishy and will tolerate more strain at this stage of development.

A few days later we had an appointment at The foetal unit in Newcastle,UK.
They explained that the complications, reasons for, possible intervention, and alternatives.
At this point we were given the option of termination, which still makes me cry now.
We decided that we would like to fully test and try to help her.
Evie had her chest drained successfully, everything went back into place, and also had an amniocentesis done at the same time. They said that she may need a (shunt) drain inserted as it usually returns, but would only do it once they can explain why it happened.

A week later we went for a review, all of the fluid returned, and we were back at the beginning.
All of her results came back negative for everything tested for, so we we're booked in for a few days later to have the drain inserted.

So at 22 weeks Evie had her drain fitted, but unfortunately it was only too obvious on the scan that she then started to bleed into her chest, and we could see after an hour on repeat scan, it made no difference. The drain was now in place but not working due to the blood clotting around the site.

At 23 weeks still not resolved, and this continued until 25 weeks.

At week 26 the clots had started to shrink, but still visible, but there was some drainage happening as the pleural effusion got smaller. But not by much. They decided to watch for the next few weeks as it should gradually resolve now.

By week 30 it didn't seem to be working as the lung was still not able to expand and I was booked in for the next week for a new drain to be put in, I was ecstatic, as I knew we were about to hopefully get the problem sorted this time.

Week 31, drain no.2 day was not to go ahead as the effusion had Shrunk, but this left our consultant worried as it could be detrimental to the baby if he tries as he had a greater chance of lacerating the lung, and also by leaving it was increasing the chance of her lungs not forming normally.

After an hour of deliberating, he decided to bring me back a week later, if it was the same size or bigger then I was to get the drain there and then, and once again we left heart broken.

Week 32, miracle day, the pleural effusion was nearly gone, we couldn't believe it, our first breakthrough, no one could wipe the smile off my face.
While still at the back of my mind I was scared that because of the length if time Evie had restricted lung growth, how was she going to be? Would she hate me forever for putting her through it?

At 33 weeks I was able to go for her ultrasound scans at our local hospital and she continued to keep those lungs inflated, and eventually having only a 4mm pleural effusion in the end.

At 36 weeks a large pleural effusion returned, we returned to Newcastle, and said at this point they wouldnt put in another drain, and that I should be induced at 37 weeks and I would need to give birth in Middlesbough so that the neonatal team would be there as she is born to possibly resuscitate and/or put in a new drain.

Evie Beau was born at 37weeks 1day after having my waters broken an hour before.

The midwife hadn't picked up that I was about to deliver my baby until she appeared.

I remember just looking at her, wishing her to breath. She did that, her chest drain fell out (the mw says she pulled it out) and the neonatal team came, gave her some oxygen and them took her away. The consultant explained that when we come to see her she will have a breathing monitor on (CPAP) at the very least, tubes in her nose, maybe one to help her breath, IV lines and maybe a tube through her umbilical cord stump.

He returned an hour later with a picture of our baby and a big smile on his face, Evie needed no intervention, she was doing so well she's just hooked up to a monitor.
She was left with a small pneumothorax, from the drain site not being covered quick enough, but it would resolve by itsel.

After 6 days in SCBU, we took our baby home, and at nearly 7 months old, you wouldn't believe what she has been through, well apart from the scar on her chest.
Yeah, her left boob might not grow as normally as the other, but after all that, that a drop in the ocean.

I hope anyone going through this now gets the same outcome as we did, we were told so many times that she may not make it I cried every day. Jacob asked daddy the other day "why did mummy cry all of the time?" which broke my heart. I only wish I had found this site when we were going through this, and I'm sorry it's such a long story too x good luck xxx