Fairhaven Health Choose Your Own Prize Giveaway

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As a Leaky Boob sponsor for a couple of years now, Fairhaven Health has offered Leakies several giveaways of their great nursing products, including the Milkies Milk-SaverNursing BlendNursing Time Tea, and Nipple Nurture Balm. But, in addition to creating products to help women meet their breastfeeding goals, Fairhaven Health also offers products that address the needs and concerns of women in every stage of reproductive health, starting with preconception and moving through pregnancy and nursing. So, in planning this giveaway, we decided to shake things up a bit, and give the power back to the Leakies!

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Fairhaven Health is excited to offer a “Choose Your Own Prize” Giveaway. Two lucky winners will have the opportunity to choose any combination of Fairhaven Health’s fertility, pregnancy, or nursing products they want- worth $100.

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Which Fairhaven Health products do you love, or which products are you dying to try?

Check out the full range of Fairhaven Health’s offerings at www.fairhavenhealth.com, and write a comment using the widget below that mentions the products you are hoping to win.  Once the two winners are selected, FH will contact winners to confirm which products they would like to receive.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered, and check out fairhavenhealth.com for more products related to fertility, pregnancy, and nursing.  The giveaway is open from April 25, 2014 through May 2, 2014.  A big thanks to Fairhaven Health for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women, please be sure to visit their Facebook page and follow them on twitter and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.  Be sure to follow them on Pinterest and Instagram (username: fairhaven_health) too!

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. 

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Fairhaven Health Fall Giveaway

Fairhaven Health is dedicated to being there for couples that are ready to be parents.  From trying to conceive through pregnancy and breastfeeding, Fairhaven Health offers a range of products to help you along your parenting journey.  But beyond the products they sell, Fairhaven Health is there for you.  They understand and value the power of people encouraging people, and so they offer a customer service experience that connects you to people with experience and knowledge that genuinely care.  Fairhaven Health invites you to get to know them better through this giveaway opportunity, and Sarah, Director of Customer Service and Social Marketing, answers a few of our questions regarding their customer care.

FH Customer Service

Back row, from left to right: Suzanne, Tally, Sam
Front row, from left to right: Whitney, Sarah

TLB:  What are the underlying values that inspire Fairhaven Health’s customer service?  Does Fairhaven Health have a mission statement regarding their customer service?

Sarah:   A huge focus for us at Fairhaven Health is customer service. Making great products is important, of course, but we also feel strongly that we need to be present and available for our customers. In talking with many, many women every day who are struggling with, or curious about, reproductive health issues, we are constantly reminded that lots of women are not getting the information they need within the medical community, or in some cases, they simply don’t know what questions to ask.  And, while we are not doctors, we can offer a very compassionate listening ear, and we can point women to lots of resources where they can find the information and support they are looking for.  So, while we don’t have an “official” mission statement regarding our customer service, our entire team shares a genuine desire to support women (by providing encouragement and information) before and during pregnancy, and while they are breastfeeding.

TLB:  What are the different ways that someone could get in contact with someone at Fairhaven Health?

Sarah:  We try to make it as easy as possible for our customers to get in contact with us. If you call our office during the regular work day, you are almost guaranteed to get a live person on the 1st or 2nd ring. We also have a Live Chat feature on our website, which is a quick way for customers to inquire about products and orders. Customers can also email our customer service team or post comments and questions on Facebook. We work hard to respond to every voice message, email, and Facebook post that we receive within 24 hours. And, another cool thing . . . Ovagraph.com, our FREE fertility charting website and forum. We currently have over 50,000 members at OvaGraph.com – an awesome and supportive community of women charting their fertility and interacting in forums (with experienced moderators) on a variety of reproductive health topics.

TLB:  What should someone expect to experience when they get in contact with Fairhaven Health?

Sarah: The things we hope to convey through our customer service are honesty, sincerity, and compassion. Is the customer concerned about her husband’s fertility? If so, then she deserves to know what options are available for assessing his fertility status, and what natural products are available to help promote male reproductive health. Is the customer returning to work and worried about how she will maintain her breast milk supply? She deserves a compassionate listening ear, and a few tips and recommendations about pumping. Did we ship the wrong product? If so, then the customer deserves an honest apology and a sincere effort to get the correct product shipped out immediately. Simply put, we hope to create a customer service environment where women feel safe asking questions and sharing their struggles.

TLB:  What have you learned through your interactions with people calling in for help or information?

Sarah: Making babies and taking care of babies is hard work! And, even though pregnancy and breastfeeding are normal physiological processes, fertility, pregnancy wellness, and breastfeeding success are not guaranteed. When issues arise, women crave information, support and encouragement . . . which is why the phones at Fairhaven Health keep ringing and why the community at The Leaky Boob continue to thrive.

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Fairhaven Health is giving away a collection of their most popular nursing products (Nursing Blend, Nursing Time Tea, and Nipple Nuture Balm) to 5 lucky Leakies. 

  • Nursing Blend: A comprehensive dietary supplement that provides essential vitamins and minerals for nursing moms, along with a blend of herbal ingredients to support breast milk production, including a concentrated Fenugreek extract.
  • Nursing Time Tea: A refreshing, mild-tasting loose leaf tea designed to help nursing mothers increase milk flow and soothe digestive unease in baby.
  • Nipple Nurture Balm: A lanolin-free nipple balm made with organic herbal ingredients and natural moisturizers to help provide soothing relief and healing for cracked and sore nipples.

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Currently Leakies can find these and other natural products for fertility, pregnancy and nursing at www.FairhavenHealth.com.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from November 19, 2013 through November 25, 2013.  A big thanks to Sarah and the team at 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.

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.

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Fairhaven Health Fertility Giveaway

It is no surprise that most giveaways that we have here on The Leaky Boob are related to breastfeeding.  It is the subject around which this community has formed, after all.  But taking a step back, we have to face a screeching traffic-jamming reality: TLB wouldn’t exist if babies weren’t made.  I mean the stuff required for conception to happen.  It is a subject that merits its own support community, as fertility issues affect more couples than you or I can even imagine.  Fertility is the primary focus of TLB sponsor Fairhaven Health, and after a bit of dialogue, we decided together to offer some support and awareness about male fertility issues in the guise of a giveaway.  Suzanne offers some helpful information on the subject (below) and if you find yourself wanting to ask more questions about fertility for both men and women, that is Fairhaven Health‘s speciality!

Munson-Family

Suzanne and her family

TLB:  Why should we be concerned about male fertility? 

Suzanne:   As a company that is focused on providing natural products to support fertility, pregnancy and nursing, it isn’t a surprise that most of the products we offer at Fairhaven Health are intended to be used by women. But, when it comes to fertility, it is important to understand that for nearly half of all couples that are struggling with infertility, it is actually the male partner with the fertility issue. The statistics related to declining sperm health are quite alarming – the average sperm count among adult men has decreased by 50% since 1938, and continues to decline by at least 2% every year.  Chronic stress, prolonged exposure to dangerous environmental chemicals, and poor diets certainly take a toll on male reproductive health.  As a result, many men suffer from low sperm count (defined as less than 20 million sperm per ml of semen), low sperm motility (defined as less than 50% of sperm showing good forward movement), and/or abnormal sperm morphology (the size and shape of sperm).  And, poor sperm health can lead to couples having difficulty becoming pregnant.

If a couple has been actively trying to conceive for 6 months or more with no success, we always recommend that the male partner make an appointment to have a semen analysis done. Or, as an alternative, we offer a sperm count test that can be used at home – if he is hesitant about going to the doctor for a comprehensive semen analysis. And, even if it is discovered that his sperm health is less than optimal, the good news is that there is sound research in the area of male fertility that shows that supplementation with key nutrients can promote sperm health. That’s why we have developed a line of male fertility products!

TLB: Let’s talk about the lifestyle factors that impact sperm health. For instance, is it true that biking and hot tubs cause low sperm count?

Suzanne: Yes, in theory, any activity that increases the temperature of the male reproductive organs can reduce sperm count, at least temporarily. If a man knows he has low sperm count, and if he and his partner are trying to conceive, it is probably best that he avoid competitive bike racing (involving lots of time on a bicycle), saunas, hot tubbing, and/or using a lap top computer directly on his lap. But, the reality is that other lifestyle factors probably have a bigger impact on the quantity and quality of sperm. Smoking cigarettes, using chewing tobacco, drinking large amounts of alcohol, and exercising excessively all decrease the quantity and quality of sperm. Quitting, or simply cutting back on, any of these activities will help improve sperm health.

Exposure to environmental toxins is also implicated as a cause for declining male (and female) reproductive health.  By limiting exposure to toxins in the workplace, at home, and from foods, men can help reduce the impact that these chemicals have on reproductive health.  And, supporting the body’s own detoxification systems (with specific nutrients and herbal medicines, like those found in FertileDetox) can help the body efficiently eliminate and/or metabolize toxins.

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TLB: When you say “toxins,” I think antioxidants.  Can they play a part in improving sperm health?  

Yes!  It certainly looks that way.  For many decades, theories about how to prevent chronic diseases of all types have emphasized the importance of antioxidant nutrients in combating the damaging effects of free radicals. Simply put, free radicals are unstable oxygen molecules that are produced as the body breaks down toxins. These unstable oxygen molecules move around the body seeking to participate in biochemical reactions that make them more stable, which result in damage to fats and proteins that are found in the cells of our body, ultimately interfering with normal cellular function. The body utilizes a number of antioxidant strategies to neutralize free radicals, but if the free radical load exceeds the number of antioxidants available to the cell, a condition known as oxidative stress ensues.  As it turns out, sperm cells seem more susceptible to oxidative stress because they have less effective antioxidant mechanisms for neutralizing free radicals than other types of cells. Adding insult to injury, sperm cells are especially vulnerable to damage from free radicals due to the high amounts of fats contained in their cell membrane. As a result, oxidative stress takes a heavy toll on sperm, causing reduced sperm count, poor sperm motility and even DNA damage.  Experts are now saying that oxidative stress is to blame for the majority (up to 80%) of all cases of male infertility.

Supplementing with antioxidant nutrients can help reduce oxidative stress. Several antioxidants have been shown to especially helpful for sperm health, including Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Coenzyme Q10 and the polyphenolic compounds in grape seed extract. All of these nutrients are found in our best-selling product for men, FertilAid for Men.

TLB: What other nutrients and herbal products are helpful for male reproductive health? 

Suzanne: There is a handful of ingredients that have shown great promise in improving male reproductive health. Leading the charge are L-carnitine and zinc. Carnitine is a vitamin-like compound that helps to transport fatty acids into the energy powerhouse of the cell (called the mitochondria) where they can be “burned” for energy. Carnitine supplementation is useful for men with low sperm motility because it helps the sperm cells produce energy, increasing the ability of sperm to move quickly through the female reproductive tract. Research indicates that low zinc concentrations negatively affect serum testosterone levels and that infertile males tend to have lower concentration of seminal plasma zinc. And, supplementation with zinc increases sperm count, motility, and fertilizing capacity; and reduces the incidence of anti-sperm antibodies.  Vitamin B12 supplementation has been shown to increase sperm count and selenium supplementation is helpful for sperm motility.

The herbs Maca and Mucuna pruriens are often talked about related to male fertility. Maca is a traditional herb that has been used medicinally for years to enhance fertility and libido. Numerous studies have shown that supplementation with maca improves sperm count, as well as sperm motility, semen volume, and overall sperm quality. Mucuna pruriens is a tropical plant, commonly known as velvet bean and cowitch. The plant has many traditional uses, and is still considered to be an effective aphrodisiac. Research indicates that Mucuna pruriens increases sperm count and sperm motility.

TLB: Wow, that’s a lot of information.  Thank you for taking the time to educate our readers about this important subject.  People need to know that this kind of information and support is readily available. 

FertilAidMen

 

Fairhaven Health is giving away a collection of 5 Male Fertility Products to 5 lucky winners.

FertilAid for Men: A dietary supplement designed to enhance male fertility and improve overall reproductive wellness as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.
FAM

CountBoost for Men: A dietary supplement designed to support optimal sperm count.
Countboost

MotilityBoost for Men: A dietary supplement designed to support optimal sperm motility.
MotilityBoost

FertileDetox: A dietary supplement designed to support the body’s detoxification systems.
FertileDetox

Virilitea: A loose-leaf, herbal tea designed to promote male fertility and sexual vitality.
virilitea

 

Leakies can find these and other fertility, pregnancy and nursing products at www.FairhavenHealth.com

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from August 14, 2013 through August 21, 2013.  A big thanks to everyone at 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.  You can also find Fairhaven Health on Pinterest!

This giveaway is open to U.S. and Canadian residents. 

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Fairhaven Health Fertility Giveaway

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.

Munson Family

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.

Fertility

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

ibasalbox-lowrez 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.

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Fairhaven Health Giveaway

“For more than a decade, Fairhaven Health has been helping couples “make” and raise children naturally. Our passion is to develop products designed to safely and naturally promote fertility, pregnancy wellness, and breastfeeding success. And for years now, we’ve been achieving that important goal. From preconception through pregnancy and nursing, Fairhaven Health is there – every step of the way – to provide clinically-proven products to help you along your journey to parenthood.” ~Suzanne, on staff at Fairhaven Health.
TLB has asked Suzanne, to share her thoughts and resource ideas for new moms in the following interview. You’ll find your opportunity to enter the Fairhaven Health giveaway below the interview; enter for your chance to win a collection of great nursing products!

Munson Family

TLB:  What is your funniest story of what surprised you when you had a newborn?

Suzanne:  I will never forget the look on my husband’s face after we buckled our brand-new baby daughter into her car seat for the very first time as we prepared to head home from the birthing center where she was born less than 24 hours before. The discharge nurse looked on as we got her settled, then did a quick security check of the car seat and told us we were free to go. My husband stared at her in disbelief, his eyes big as saucers.  “Are you sure we should go?” he asked. The nurse smiled knowingly, hugged us both, and said, “You will all be fine”. We must have sat in the car for at least 15 minutes before my husband started the engine, staring at each other and our beautiful little girl, surprised and overwhelmed by the immensity of gratitude and responsibility we suddenly felt.

TLB:  What is the best advice you can think of to give a new mom?

Suzanne:  Use your people!  Everyone loves babies, so let your friends and family hold your baby, change your baby, and bathe your baby. And, while they are caring for the baby, make sure to take time to rest. Also, don’t be shy about asking your friends and family for help with chores around the house. Your friends will be happy to fold cute little baby clothes while you chat and drink the Fairhaven Health Nursing Time Tea you win in this giveaway!

TLB:  How is Fairhaven Health supporting breastfeeding not only in product but also in resources?

Suzanne: At Fairhaven Health, we support breastfeeding as the optimal feeding choice for moms and babies. We also understand that for some women, “choosing” breastfeeding isn’t always easy. Pregnant woman are constantly bombarded with confusing messages about breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, and even when new moms want to breastfeed, they often lack the information and support (from peers and professionals) they need to breastfeed successfully. In addition to offering a variety of natural products to support breastfeeding moms (including dietary supplements and teas that offer nutritional support and promote breast milk production, as well as a natural, lanolin-free nipple balm), Fairhaven Health is proud to sponsor the following organizations that are actively working to normalize breastfeeding and support nursing moms in our communities. If you don’t already know about Cottonwood Kids and Best for Babes, be sure to check out these awesome organizations. And, of course, we all love The Leaky Boob!

In addition to supporting the organizations above, we are always looking for ways to serve as a resource for nursing moms needing information and support. Our BellytoBreast Facebook page is dedicated to issues and information pertinent to pregnant and breastfeeding women, and we offer several ways for nursing moms to interact with our customer service team, including email, phone and live chat.

TLB:  When moms have a new baby, what are your favorite ways to suggest she takes care of herself to recover well, have energy, and be set up to reach her breastfeeding goals?

Suzanne:  This is a tough question! Let’s face it, as wonderful as being a new mom is, it is also very demanding and, at times, quite stressful. And, all of the things that you “should” do to take care of yourself (like rest, eat well, exercise, etc.) take time, which is, of course, in short supply. So, I definitely don’t have the secret to restoring and maintaining energy levels while breastfeeding, but I will share with you what helped me when my kids were babies: yoga (as infrequent as it was!), playing the piano,  getting some fresh air (even if I just sat on the front porch for 15 minutes as I nursed), and napping.

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Fairhaven Health is giving away a collection of their nursing products to 10 (ten) lucky Leakies.  The retail value of the collection is: $62.00

The 4 items in the collection are:

1 bottle of Nursing Blend 

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1 package of Nursing Time Tea 

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1 Nipple Nurture Balm 

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And, just for the fun of it, 1 DreamBelly Stretch Mark Butter!

DreamBellyButter

Currently Leakies can find these and other items at FairhavenHealth.com.

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Good luck to everyone!  Please use the widget below to be entered.  The giveaway is open from February 19, 2013 through February 25, 2013.  A big thanks to Fairhaven Health for their ongoing support of TLB and all breastfeeding women; please be sure to visit BellytoBreast on Facebook or follow them on Twitter and/or Pinterest and thank them for their support of TLB and this giveaway opportunity.

This giveaway is restricted to U.S. (including Puerto Rico and APO) and Canadian residents only.

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