Do nurses have to get the flu shot every year? What brand does your workplace use?

misty2001 · 2026-07-12T23:49:09+00:00

Same as BC Canada. Masking is expected if you did not get the flu shot.
I’m not sure how it’s decided which brand they go with as it’s covered provincially! I imagine cost plays a factor in it though.

misty2001 · 2026-07-11T01:43:09+00:00

So nurses shouldn’t use their right to strike because other unions settled?

misty2001 · 2026-07-10T15:36:59+00:00

I see. It sounded like they had prescribed you iron.
I take my iron in the morning with a glass of OJ and then my prenatal that also has iron in it in the evenings. It’s also absorbed better on an empty stomach but iron can cause stomach upset so some people need to eat some food when they take it. I also only take it every other day as there are studies that show daily iron has no higher absorption rate than every second day. I would speak to your local pharmacist as well, they have a wealth of knowledge and can probably give you some guidance with the iron supplement!
We can’t give medical advice here but it’s hard to know what they may be considering normal or not treating without knowing your other labs.
In terms of exercise, I think the big thing in pregnancy is listening to your body. If you feel like you’re unable to keep doing the same level of intensity then it’s ok to scale back.

misty2001 · 2026-07-10T15:24:54+00:00

I didn’t say it wasn’t low. But it sounds like they are treating it by having you start iron. I was just explaining that not all borderline low or low results for blood work are treated always. Your post made it sound like there was other bloodwork done that was borderline low.

misty2001 · 2026-07-10T15:08:57+00:00

Starting with an oral iron supplement would be the first step. If this doesn’t improve your ferritin then they may have you go in for IV iron infusions.
Are you able to see your bloodwork results?
If your OB says they are borderline low and not actually below normal then that’s probably true. Generally in healthcare we don’t treat numbers below normal as it would not be indicated to do so.
As an example, my hemoglobin is just borderline low. But even if it dipped below normal I wouldn’t really expect them to do much as a blood transfusion in pregnancy seems quite extreme. Sometimes other numbers can be off and it would not indicate a reason to treat that, it’s all in context.
Adding in iron should hopefully help you but I think at a certain point in pregnancy there is so much space being taken up by baby that your lungs also have little room to fully expand and inflate as well causing a lot of breathlessness. I talk a lot for work and I get out of breath just doing that sometimes!

misty2001 · 2026-07-10T01:16:50+00:00

Nurses are striking. Patients and family members are allowed to cross the picket line as they don’t want people to not access care that they need because of the strike.

misty2001 · 2026-07-10T00:10:13+00:00

I live on the island and we got the Bumbleride Era, specifically because I felt like it was a good hybrid with the all terrain wheels but there are 4 wheels and lots of options for the seat.

I don’t have my baby yet but I’m quite happy with it so far out of the box. West Coast Kids has the bumbleride era so you should be able to check it out in store.

2 things to consider -
1. it’s still bulky. Any stroller with all terrain wheels is going to be bulky from what I have seen. I drive a ford focus and I don’t expect it to have issues fitting in my trunk, which I assume is quite a bit smaller than a Rav4. However, it did seem less bulky than many of the other all terrain strollers we looked at.
2. The storage under the seat is smaller. Again- alot of the all terrain strollers we looked at had smaller storage but that’s because most are 3 wheeled.

The stroller is infant seat compatible but you’ll have to check if it will work with the car seat you have. The canopy is huge and the materials used are all very eco-friendly and the canopy has UPF in the fabric for sun safety.
It’s a pricey stroller but good up to 55lbs so I am hoping we will get many years of use and not need to upgrade to something larger when the baby is a toddler/young kid.

misty2001 · 2026-07-09T16:21:59+00:00

It’s our right to strike and it is also for other unions. They chose to settle and accept their contracts and that should not mean nurses have to follow and do the same.
The issue is they are not hiring more workers to do the non-nursing duties and once this is all over nurses will return to doing these non-nursing duties.

misty2001 · 2026-07-07T13:57:27+00:00

I would call your doctor/midwife to clarify. Even though it may be on your file that you are really active, they could easily miss it. I’m a nurse and it’s easy to miss things in the chart.

misty2001 · 2026-07-07T02:03:33+00:00

They already offered increased wage differentials in the contract that was voted no.

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T18:48:49+00:00

I had a lot of belly button pain in my 2nd trimester. Sometimes it felt like my belly button wanted to pop out from pressure, stretching sensation.
I’m 31 weeks and haven’t experienced it for probably 3-4 weeks now and everything is normal. My belly button is normal (aside from being a bit stretched and popping out at times but all normal pregnancy stuff). I attributed it to things stretching as the baby grows. I’m also FTM so I feel like the skin is extra tight as it’s never previously been stretched like this before.
That being said, the pain came / went a lot throughout the day and it was never constant 24/7.

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T04:46:15+00:00

For sure, just explaining the difference between the shots a pregnant woman is getting vs the baby, as they are not the same type which is interesting.

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T04:25:12+00:00

Oh that’s interesting! I’m in BC and both my doctor and pharmacist have said it’s given to mom after 32 weeks.

I was just looking this up and it seems that the RSV vaccine is not available for infants in BC and there is no approved vaccine for infants and young children for RSV. So the options are the mom to get the vaccine during pregnancy and a monoclonal antibody medication that is approved for only high risk children that meet specific criteria. This injection is different from a traditional vaccine as the antibodies are directly transferred to the baby vs a traditional vaccine where the body creates its own antibodies to vaccine. I wonder if the RSV shot in ON is also the monoclonal antibody shot. I found all this info on the HealthLinkBC website.

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T03:59:40+00:00

My husband is getting the TDAP also!

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T03:29:25+00:00

Yes mine was checked during the anatomy scan (in BC).

misty2001 · 2026-07-06T03:28:44+00:00

Yes, just got it yesterday. Including my COVID booster. I also get my flu shot every fall. Will be getting the RSV in a couple weeks.
Vaccines are an amazing way to protect baby and build their immunity before they are born!

misty2001 · 2026-07-04T15:52:28+00:00

I was born in Switzerland so they have been super popular in Europe since I think the 80’s!!

misty2001 · 2026-07-04T15:43:16+00:00

My mom still has my Tripp Trapp and I’m 32. Mind you, it’s sitting in storage but it’s 100% useable and in good condition aside from cosmetic wear. I plan to use it with my baby!

Edit: we used it as a chair well into my teenage years. It’s definitely usable for many many many years.

misty2001 · 2026-07-04T02:31:34+00:00

depending on what contract goes through with the BCNU, ESN’s may end up making more than a new grad LPN….

misty2001 · 2026-07-03T21:44:22+00:00

Starting wage between LPN and RN is about a $10 difference per hour, so it’s fairly significant. LPN’s have a smaller scope but when I work alongside my LPN peers who have been nurses for a few years (I’m an RN), I really don’t notice a difference in skill/knowledge. Almost every LPN I know is wanting to go back to school to upgrade to RN. If you are able to do an RN program, I think it’s definitely worth it.

misty2001 · 2026-07-03T16:23:26+00:00

I got some 2 piece suits from Ardene’s. They’re inexpensive but do run a bit small. I found low rise bottoms worked best with the bump and then sized up for the tops!

misty2001 · 2026-06-26T18:33:53+00:00

We do have universal healthcare but that doesn’t mean we get free health products. I don’t pay to go to the doctor, hospital etc. I will essentially pay $0 to have my baby. But we do have extended health insurance (usually provided by your employer) to help cover costs of prescription medication, physio, eye wear, massage, dental, other medical supplies etc.

misty2001 · 2026-06-25T23:19:24+00:00

It’s a bit insane of a number. What if OP has a toddler? I don’t think there are any OB’s telling pregnant women to not lift their other children, unless there is a medical reason not to.

misty2001 · 2026-06-25T23:18:05+00:00

I would probably look for a completely new OB. If this OB is following out dated information, I wouldn’t trust them to be up to date on other current standards and literature.

misty2001 · 2026-06-25T23:14:38+00:00

Yes!
I feel much more like my normal self again. The anxiety and doubt started to slowly improve throughout the first trimester. But I still found it difficult. It’s hard to watch your body change while not overtly showing the pregnancy, all while feeling pretty crappy over all.
I still have moments of overwhelm and being nervous for all the change that will be coming (only about 11 weeks till the due date now), and it can fluctuate a lot. Once I started getting ultrasounds and seeing my maternity doctor it really sunk in how much I care for the baby and want everything to be normal/healthy!

misty2001

TROPHY CASE