Fairhaven Health has been a TLB sponsor for quite some time now. We have come to know them as a company that supports breastfeeding women by providing helpful information regarding the health and diet of expecting and nursing moms, and we’ve enjoyed a few giveaways on TLB of helpful products for breastfeeding moms. But that’s not all there is to Fairhaven Health. In the following interview, Suzanne answers questions related to the other side of the company: fertility. And following the interview is your chance to enter a fertility related giveaway.
Suzanne of Fairhaven Health, and her family
TLB: Tell us a bit about the fertility side of Fairhaven Health.
Suzanne: Fairhaven Health has been in the “fertility” business for more than a decade, and has helped thousands of couples achieve pregnancy naturally by providing scientifically-validated dietary supplements for enhancing female and male fertility, along with ovulation prediction tools to help couples identify the fertile days in a woman’s menstrual cycle. If you are trying to become pregnant naturally (or avoid pregnancy, for that matter), accurate ovulation prediction is vital. It is important for couples to understand that there are actually only a few days during each menstrual cycle that intercourse will result in conception – the so-called fertile window. If couples are not having intercourse during the fertile window, in the few days before and on the day of ovulation, they will not get pregnant.
Many women chart their basal body temperatures as a way to track ovulation. This giveaway features Fairhaven Health’s ibasal – a computerized digital basal thermometer.
TLB: How do you predict ovulation by tracking your basal body temperature (BBT)?
Suzanne: Basal body temperature (known as BBT in the acronym-laden TTC world) is the temperature at which your body rests. Charting BBT is one of the tried and true methods for determining when during your cycle ovulation occurs. By taking your BBT accurately and consistently first thing every morning throughout your menstrual cycle, you will be able to detect the natural, yet very subtle, rise in your basal body temperature that occurs just after ovulation. This thermal shift is caused by the hormone progesterone, sometimes referred to as the “warming hormone”. Immediately following ovulation, the corpus luteum (the remnants of the ovarian follicle that released the egg) begins to produce progesterone. The increased amount of progesterone is necessary to help ensure a fertilized egg can implant successfully into the wall of the uterus, and it also causes the body to warm up, which is reflected in an increase in the BBT.
But, like with other fertility charting methods, there is some variability in the way that women experience the thermal shift. In general, many women will notice a “biphasic” pattern to their chart, with relatively low temperatures before ovulation and slightly higher temperatures after ovulation. It is important to note that this BBT shift is actually quite subtle, with temperatures typically rising by only .4 degrees F (.2 degrees C) after ovulation, and sometimes even less. Some women will see a rapid rise in their BBT, and others will see an incremental rise. Due to this variability, it is important for you to chart for several cycles to understand the specific way in which you experience this BBT shift. But, once you have a good understanding of your own BBT chart, you will be able to accurately predict your fertile days and time intercourse accordingly.
TLB: How is the ibasal different than other BBT thermometers out there?
Suzanne: Unlike other digital (or glass) BBT thermometers, the ibasal is an “intelligent” thermometer. In addition to accurately recording and storing your BBT data, the ibasal contains a proprietary algorithm that allows it to analyze and interpret BBT data in order to make a fertility prediction. The ibasal also allows you to record additional information about her menstrual cycle, including bleeding, cramping, and cervical mucus consistency. After a couple cycles of consistent use, the ibasal will use all of the data it receives (BBT and any other fertility data) to determine your daily fertility status.
TLB: What are some of the features of the ibasal that make charting BBT convenient?
Suzanne: For BBT charting to be a reliable and accurate ovulation prediction tool, it is essential that you take your BBT at the same time every morning. For this reason, the ibasal requires that you set the internal alarm clock, and once set, it will only allow you to take a temperature reading at that set time. Like any other annoying alarm clock, the ibasal alarm will sound continuously (for 10 minutes!) until you take her temperature – a guarantee that you will be collecting accurate BBT data.
TLB: Tell us about OvaGraph.com.
Suzanne: A couple of years ago, Fairhaven Health launched OvaGraph.com, a FREE online fertility charting community. At OvaGraph.com, you can store and view (in graphs and calendars) your BBT data, as well as data from electronic fertility monitors (such as the OvaCue) and other menstrual cycle data (including results from urine test sticks and cervical mucus changes). And, your FREE membership at OvaGraph.com provides you with the opportunity to interact with a supportive and knowledgeable community of women on all topics related to fertility and pregnancy.
Fairhaven Health is giving away 1 ibasal computerized digital basal thermometer to 2 lucky Leakies.
The ibasal is a computerized digital basal thermometer and fertility monitor that helps you maximize your chances of conceiving by accurately measuring your BBT and interpreting this data to produce a fertility prediction in advance of ovulation.
Retail Value: $59.95
Currently Leakies can find the ibasal and other helpful “trying-to-conceive” products at FairhavenHealth.com.
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Good luck to everyone! Please use the widget below to be entered. The giveaway is open from May 22, 2013 through May 28, 2013. A big thanks to Fairhaven Health for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit their Facebook page or follow them on twitter and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.
I have worn my babies while at the pumpkin patch, in rickshaws in Asia, watching the water buffalo on the banks of the holy Ganges river, hiking the Julien Alps, milking a goat in Serbia, mushroom picking in Slovenia, while exploring the ancient mud city of Bam, Iran, and of course every time I go to Target!
