It was 2016 when I was first introduced to the Big Fig Mattress. Before then, I had never thought about how my body and plus size figure could affect the way that I was sleeping—especially if I was sleeping on mattresses that weren’t made for me.

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I was actually one of the first people to sleep on a Big Fig Mattress and since 2016, I haven’t slept on anything else. And while so much has changed since 2016—from living alone to moving in with my boyfriend—my Big Fig has gotten me through it all.

Recently, my boyfriend Terry and I moved in together and we quickly realized that we needed to upgrade to a king from our queen Big Fig to get the sleep we needed (mostly because Terry hogs the bed). Since getting the king mattress, I have improved my sleep even more than before, which I thought was impossible!

How Does the Big Fig Mattress Feel?

Understandably, Everyone who asks me about sleeping on the Big Fig Mattress wants to know what it feels like. To me, on the firm scale, the Big Fig is an eight out of 10. Yes, it is firm, but it also has its soft moments. I feel like it contours to my body. Listen, I have been sleeping on this mattress for more than five years, and I won’t ever sleep on anything else again.

Is the Big Fig Only for Plus Size People?

If you’re wondering if the Big Fig Mattress is comfortable for plus size sleepers only, I am here to tell you that while the mattress was made for bigger figures, it’s quite comfortable for everyone. My boyfriend, Terry, is tall with a slim and athletic build, and he absolutely loves the Big Fig. I also bought and gifted a Big Fig Mattress to my mom one year for Christmas, and throughout the years, her weight has fluctuated, but her love for the Big Fig hasn’t. The company also offers the option to finance the Big Fig Mattress, which is what I did when I purchased and gifted one to my mom. The financing process was so simple and I also qualified for 0% APR financing.

So whether you’re in a mixed weight relationship or you’re wondering if this mattress will fit you throughout the next several years, I can tell you it will. In fact, Big Fig Mattresses have a 20-year warranty, which is unheard of. Most mattresses only come with a five to eight-year warranty. Another thing I love about this mattress is that the company offers a 120 night trial that allows you to try your mattress risk-free for 120 nights. If you don’t love it, send it back!

How Long Does it take for My Big Fig to Ship?

There are different Big Fig shipping methods to choose from when you check out, but usually, you can expect your Big Fig to arrive in 7-10 business days. Once your mattress arrives, you will need to set up your bed frame and foundation, which only took me 20 minutes!

All-in-all, I am a huge fan of the Big Fig Mattress—if you can’t tell!

As someone with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), I have long worried about fertility—even though I had never looked into my fertility hormones or even explored what PCOS disease is in-depth. And the reason I haven’t taken the initiative to look into these things more was because I was afraid. I have always been a pretty healthy individual, but of course, as a plus size woman, I experience a lot of obstacles like weight bias in medicine when it comes to getting thorough and fair care from a doctor. And when I tried to explore my PCOS diagnosis further, many doctors wrote it off and told me not to worry about it. It felt invalidating. So, I stopped digging into the matter.

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Visit Modern Fertility to get $20 off the $159 Modern Fertility Hormone test!

I have always envisioned myself having children one day, but as I enter my 30th year, the desire to have kids hasn’t hit me yet, which is fine. But what does bother me is that it’s impossible to ignore the fact that as women age, their chances to conceive become harder. While it’s totally okay that I don’t want children right now, I knew that I had to start thinking about my options when it comes to possibly freezing my eggs and looking at my fertility hormone health comprehensively.

Testing My Fertility Hormones at Home

But I had no idea where to start. I didn’t want to explore my fertility health or talk about my options with the doctors I had seen previously since I didn’t receive much help in the first place. And that’s when I found Modern Fertility, a fertility hormone test that you can take at home. I didn’t know what to expect with this test since I had never investigated my fertility hormones before, but luckily, Modern Fertility discloses all the important details with you about what your test will show you and how you can use the results to empower your future decisions and plans.

Here are some of the things the Modern Fertility test will tell you:

• If you have more or fewer eggs than average
• If you may hit menopause earlier or later than average
• Help you understand egg freezing or IVF outcomes
• How your general health-related to your hormones
• Help you check general body factors like thyroid health and others that can affect fertility

Learn more about each of these insights and the science behind Modern Fertility’s hormone tests.

You can purchase your very own Modern Fertility Hormone test for $139 with my discount!

Can I Take Modern Fertility’s Hormone Test if I have PCOS?

YES! I was relieved to find out that I could take this test and get a real look into my fertility hormones even if I had PCOS. I was wondering how my condition and my birth control—I have an IUD—would play into my results, but Modern Fertility asks you important questions before you submit your blood samples to their lab. These questions are important to answer as they investigate your cycle, birth control, and any other conditions you may experience that could help shed more light on your fertility hormones. These questions will also help determine the best time during your menstrual cycle to take your test. After I completed the quiz and registered my test kit, I took my blood samples, which consisted of me pricking my finger and placing blood droplets onto test strips. After I let the test strips dry, I placed them in a secure mailer and shipped them back to the Modern Facility lab via USPS. The process was very simple. If you would rather do a blood draw in a lab, Modern Fertility also gives you the option to do that. However, studies show that the test strip blood samples were just as accurate as a typical blood draw.

Which Hormones Does Modern Fertility Look At?

Depending on the kind of birth control you’re using, Modern Fertility looks at several specific hormones that can help doctors understand egg count, ovulation, general body factors, and red flags that relate to fertility. This is very similar to proactive fertility tests that you would pay as much as $1,500 for through your doctor, according to Modern Fertility.

Here are the hormones Modern Fertility will test:

• Anti-Mullerian hormone
• Follicle-stimulating hormone
• Estradiol
• Luteinizing hormone
• Thyroid Stimulating hormone
• Free thyroxine
• Prolactin

The Waiting Game and Getting my Modern Fertility Results

As I was waiting for my results, I downloaded Modern Fertility’s app to track my current cycle. The app was very user-friendly and intuitive. When my results were ready, I got an email notification. I was nervous to see the results, but I was prepared as I had told myself that no matter what the results were, I was ready to get them and that I would always find a way to make a plan that suits my life.

To my surprise, all my hormone levels came back as normal. Because I love to see the actual results and how my numbers measure up to the average, I was so happy to see that Modern Fertility broke down each of my hormone levels and charted them so I could see where I stood. I was also happy to see that Modern Fertility offers me assistance and advice on planning for the next steps of my life like egg freezing. I also got access to in-depth reports based off my results, which are extremely helpful in helping me understand my hormones. I also loved that I could download an extensive report for my doctors, which helps me feel empowered.

My Modern Fertility Experience and Review

All in all, I am so happy that I decided to take Modern Fertility’s at home hormone test because at the end of the day, I was able to empower myself with these results. I gave myself more insight into my body than any doctor ever has. While I know these results may not replace seeing a doctor about my hormones, I feel confident to walk into my endocrinologist or doctor with my Modern Fertility results. I also get a personal fertility team through Modern Fertility where I can chat one on one with a fertility nurse or join weekly webinars. My results have also eased my worries about my overall hormone health. I would absolutely recommend taking a Modern Fertility hormone test if you are interested in learning more about your body or planning your future. Modern Fertility also has pregnancy and ovulation tests, as well as prenatal multivitamins. If you have an FSA or HAS HSA account through your healthcare provider or employer like me, you can use your account to purchase a Modern Fertility test kit.

Do you have any questions about my experience? If so, please reach out to me at natalie@natalieinthecity.com!

Thank you to Modern Fertility for sponsoring this blog post. All opinions are 100% my own. This is a partnership I thought long and hard about taking as it does involve me to be extremely vulnerable–no matter the outcome of the results. I truly appreciate Modern Fertility’s support and thoroughness throughout this time! Thank you for supporting brands that support Natalie in the City.

I am always working. After I pour my first cup of coffee around 6 a.m., my workday starts, and it may not end until around 11 p.m. some nights. And since you’re probably wondering…I am wearing Eloquii’s Printed Palazzo Pants! Since the start of the pandemic, I have been lucky to be able to triple my workload between my 9-to-5 job, my freelance career, and my blog. And up until a few weeks ago, I spent most of these hours sitting at my desk in pain, boredom, and discomfort. So, I decided that it was time for me to get my very own UPLIFT standing work desk after I realized that my body needed movement and variety throughout my workday. Honestly, who wants to spend 10 plus hours sitting at a desk? I thought I had no choice until I realized a unique way of working that made me realize an electric standing desk might change my life. And let me tell you, this standing desk improved my productivity and mood. But here’s how I got there…

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How I found out that I needed a standing desk…it’s kind of funny

As I mentioned, I was working from a typical desk in my apartment—since the start of the pandemic. My butt, back, and neck hurt every day by 1 p.m., which only added to the stress I felt under my workload. I would sometimes sit in bed or on my couch for a quick sense of relief, but I found that neither of those improved my posture, pain, or productivity. Out of desperation, I downloaded Google Docs on my phone, stuck my phone in my bra upside down, and started using the talk to type feature to write my articles as I walked around my apartment and did various things. And while this wasn’t ideal, it showed me that I needed to have a desk that could move with me throughout the day. Whether I wanted to stand, sit, or rock, I worked best when I had the option to move my body and alternate from sitting to standing. So, I made it happen…  

Upgrading to one of the best electric standing desks for my home office

I recently moved into a new apartment where I have my very own office space, which is such a treat since I have been working and living in the same four corners of my small studio apartment for the past three years. With this upgrade, I decided to upgrade my desk, too. While I had never had a standing desk prior to exploring UPLIFT desks, I have always wanted one. I compared my options and decided that UPLIFT’s V2 42×30 standing desk was going to be the perfect fit for me. I loved that I was able to completely customize it from the size to the color and I was also able to add on UPLIFT desk accessories such as a filing cabinet, extra USB hubs, a notebook and tablet stand, and a writing desk pad. Most of these accessories came with the desk at no extra charge! And when it came to seating, I thought I would get a typical chair to go with the desk since I knew I would have to ease into learning how to work at a standing desk. But instead, I chose to add on a bamboo rocker (free with my desk) and a motion stool (+$94), and I am so happy that I did. And this is why…  

How I feel after using a standing desk

I never really thought of myself as “fidgety,” but I noticed that movement while I am working helped keep me much more focused…and I would soon find out exactly how this manifested throughout my workday when I recorded a few hours of me working on my new UPLIFT stand up desk (check out the video: working from my UPLIFT standing desk). Whether I am sitting or standing, I can move my body and I think that’s why I have seen so many benefits. On the bamboo rocker, I can stand and rock side to side, and sometimes I even like to stand in the middle on one leg. With the motion stool, I can move my hips and rock back and forth while I am working. This movement helps me stay engaged in my work without feeling bored or distracted.  

One size does not fit all

I can’t stress enough just how important and game changing the versatility of this desk has been for me. I’m excited to get to work every day and I feel even better at the end of my day because my body isn’t hurting, and I have been able to get most of the work on my to-do list done. Another thing I have realized after using an electric stand up desk is that one desk size does not fit all. I don’t wear “one size fits all” clothing, so why would I ever think that a one size fits all desk would be right for me? I can’t believe that I have been sitting at desks without being able to control their height my whole life.  Whether I am sitting or standing, I find it so helpful to be able to adjust the height of my desk so that I am not slouching, leaning, or straining myself—I caught myself doing this so much when I first got my standing desk only to realize that I could change all of that with the push of a button.  

What are the benefits of a standing desk?

There are various studies that show standing desks are healthier for you than sitting desks, but the benefits of a standing desk that I noticed almost immediately were:

• Increased energy
• Improved mood and focus
• Less stress
• Higher productivity levels
• Reduced need for caffeine / afternoon “pick me up”
• Better posture Less neck, arm, and wrist strain
• Higher levels of optimism about my workday

According to UPLIFT, their activity-promoting desks have been shown to have benefits like the ones I was experiencing. See, I knew I was onto something when I started walking around my apartment talking into my phone to write articles. It may have looked and sounded silly, but I had been doing my work like that for the past six months, and that’s what inspired me to get a standing desk. Overall, I am so happy that I made this much-needed change in my life, and I don’t know if I will ever be able to go back to a sitting desk ever again knowing what I know now!  

Thank you to UPLIFT for sending me this standing desk to review. All opinions and thoughts are 100% my own!