My baby has fluid in his lung

660 330 Lorraine Fernandez

SI'm sure some of you have an acquaintance or friend who has had a baby and that when you ask how it all went, they tell you that they let him in because he was born with "fluid in the lungs."
It is a situation that causes a lot of anxiety in the families, because the baby needs to stay in observation for a few hours and even some kind of help to be able to breathe for some days.
But what is that "liquid in the lung" really and why does it happen?

With this week's entry, we'll try to clear up any doubts about it, shall we go with it?

TRANSITORY TAQUIPNEA (TT) or moist lung, is the medical term for "fluid in the lung."

It is a relatively considered pathology mild, which happens to newborns to term, from 38 weeks of gestation onwards, or almost to term, between 34 and 37 weeks of gestation.

Why is it characterized?

It is characterized because after the baby is born it begins to breathe very fast, it is observed that with each breath the ribs are very marked and that around his lips appears a bluish color very characteristic, which tells the professionals that you probably need to give us a little oxygen.

Why does it occur?

When the baby is inside the womb, the lungs are full of fluid, and so it must be for them to form and mature properly, when the birth occurs, when leaving the birth canal and removing the head, with the first breathing, together with the compression of the baby's chest through such a narrow passage, causes sufficient pressure for the fluid in the lungs to flow out through the walls and the lung to fill with air, thus beginning the extrauterine life. It is a wonderful life process that in most cases happens without complications.

But there are times when there are a number of risk factors that cause that fluid, which should have completely come out of the lung, not to do it all, thus producing the Transient Tachypnea.

Among the most common risk factors are a premature birth, a cesarean section without labor, a very large baby (macrosome), or multiple births.

What can we do in Neonates when a newborn with Transient Taquipnea (TT) enters?
  • The first thing we do is try reassure the family, as I have told you, is a transient and relatively mild pathology, which usually returns in 12 or 24 hours, and can last up to 48 or 76 hours, in the cases considered more severe.
  • If you need it, we will give you a little bit of oxygen, enough to make sure their tissues are properly oxygenated.
  • We will do the necessary tests (blood test, ultrasound and chest X-ray) to make sure the problem is only the fluid retained and not other complications.
  • And if everything confirms that this is indeed a TT, then we will have patience and we will adapt the treatment according to the evolution of the baby. If we see that he breathes very fast and gets tired when eating, then we will put a probe so that he does not make much effort. If we see that the oxygen is not enough, we will put pressure goggles on it to make it less difficult for each breath. And if with all that, you still get tired, because instead of feeding the tube, we will have to put a whey for a few hours so that your body concentrates all its efforts on breathing and eliminating that fluid.
  • During all those hours of evolution, the presence of parents es essential, the baby needs to calm down and feel accompanied and no one better than his dads to take care of him.

Hope you found this entry interesting, and it helps you to know a little more about the neonatal world.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

 

 

 

Lorraine Fernandez

I am a University Diploma in Nursing from the UB and a Pediatric Specialist. Theoretical and practical postgraduate course for Nurses: Update on intensive care for children and adolescents by the UAB and Postgraduate course on Emergencies and catastrophes by the UAB. I have been working for neonates for 14 years. In constant training and attitude of learning. I adore my work and my babies. Each one is unique and special and it teaches me something new. Proudly decorated by families, as well as my companions, as A MOTHER OF WHITE.

All entries by: Lorena Fernández
16 comments
  • Betty

    My baby was born with fluid his lungs looked black but there were white parts he put points in his nose, and oxygen, 18 HRS collapsed and his lungs were already whiter and his lungs were punctured and his lungs were perforated and he died 2 days hard my son weighed 4kilos 120 but did not resist

    • Angy

      I'm sorry 🥺 my niece also died, it's so sad, but I'm sure they were very special, and they didn't need to go through the mortal experience to reach their progress as children of God, they just needed to get a body for that short time and return to Our Father Celestial, to await his glorious resurrection. ⚘

  • rosmery

    My son was born at 36 weeks. I had a C-section because of genital herpes. The baby was born but I didn't cry at that time of the cesarean section they had k to help and then I cried after several hours they told me k I had breathing problems and I had pneumonia it stayed in uci for 2 weeks with all those machines tubing it was hard to see it so chikito came out at 24 days of the clinic. He had no complications later but now has type one autism. I do not know if it was due to complications k was born but I am happy k has struggled to live. He is now 5 years old

  • Jaime Garcia

    My baby is going through all that and still can't react on time the doctors are going to have an X-ray in his heart to see if he has anything wrong there if in case k is none of that which is what we may need help please

  • Juana Cortiz

    my baby was born 4 days ago and this is exactly what is happening with the doctors they say it's nothing serious but it's hard not to worry I'm dead alive they say I have to wait until he decides when he is ready to breathe properly it hurts a lot not being able to do anything Coming home alone without a baby without a belly has been traumatic for me

  • Rosa Mendez

    I'm still going through the same thing but my BB is already getting better thank God it's been 10 days q is in the incubator to a nose when they give it to me to be able to arm it and have it at home but I trust God q soon I'll have it at home 🙏🙏 🙏🙏🙏

    • Brenda Flores

      My baby was born with water in his lungs and after taking the x-ray and doing his studies it turned out that he had pro calcitonin, which gave him an infection, so I understood why he got the infection and it wasn't just the water that had to be taken out?

  • Raquel condori

    I'm going through the same thing my bb is already 14 days old she was born well she was born well in a few hours she started breathing fast and they removed her from my arm for the incubator she is tubed with mechanical oxygen she has fluid in her lung and so far she doesn't disappear She came in with pneumonia and now they tell me it's x a lung infection that is caused x a urinary tract infection that's what the doctors say.
    It hurts a lot like this my bb I'm afraid I'm anxious not to have good news

  • Daniela Martinez

    My baby was born with the same treatment and was hospitalized for a month
    And now that he's a year old, he has respiratory problems to the extent that he's kicking his chest, and the doctors still don't know what's causing it or what illness he'll have, they just say that it's the sequelae that he's left with

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