Two dozen women who work at the same Saskatchewan hospital are all currently off on parental leave -- and more new parents are expected to join their ranks.
“It’s been crazy,” nurse and new mother Kelly Vatamaniuck told CTV Regina. “There’s been a new baby pretty much every month since March 2017.”
The new parents all work at St. Joseph's Hospital in Estevan, a city of just over 11,000 people that’s 200 kilometres southeast of Regina.
Fellow nurse Vanessa Dumais is also part of the hospital’s baby boom.
“Like every month there was one: October, November, December,” she recalled. “And then I was like, ‘Oh man, I’m pregnant too and maybe it would be funny if someone comes out next month and says they’re pregnant!’ And sure enough, there would be.”
‘CHALLENGES IN THE SHORT-TERM’
The parents currently on leave represent more than 10 per cent of the hospital’s staff.
“We have a young staff and it speaks very well to our future, but does present some challenges in the short-term,” Greg Hoffort, the hospital’s executive director, said.
The main challenge, Hoffort explained, has been finding temporary replacements -- as well as conducting all the necessary training and orientation -- for the new parents.
“We’re a facility that has in the neighbourhood of 200 fulltime equivalent staff, so it’s significant,” he said.
More parental leaves are also on the horizon.
“We’re all trickling back in and new ones are going off,” Dumais said.
“So many of them are starting to have baby number two,” Vatamaniuck added.
Kim Friess is about to join their ranks.
“I’m excited that I’m off work now and I’m having my baby,” she said. “I can join this group of girls and be part of all the fun!”
‘FORMED OUR OWN LITTLE FAMILY’
While having so many people on parental leave might be putting the hospital in a bit of a staffing bind, the new mothers say that it also gives them an incredible support network as they navigate the inevitable ups and downs of having little ones at home.
Chelsea Meyer is another new mother who works at the hospital.
“I feel like when I went off with (my son), if it was three in the morning, some of my other friends were also up at three in the morning,” she said. “I could text them and at least we could kind of keep each other company, so it was nice that way.”
“We talk all the time,” Vatamaniuck added. “We help each other with any situation we might have. Everybody has a problem one day or the next and it’s been a good support, especially for me, because I don’t have a lot of family around here.”
Mallory Olson is one of the newest members of this growing club.
“Being a new mom can be lonely, especially if you don’t have a lot of support,” she explained. “I know a lot of us don’t have family from the city, so we’ve kind of formed our own little family.”
For more, visit CTV Regina.
