Carolyn The Mama Coach - Rn/Mscp

10/01/2025

Pressing pause for a little while ✨ I’m officially on maternity leave and hoping to be back part-time by April 2026. (That date is a total guess — ask me again after a few months of sleep deprivation 😅).

While I’m away from 1:1 coaching, there are still ways to stay connected:
💻 My blog dives into perimenopause, menopause, and women’s health myths I love busting.
📩 My newsletter will send any important updates straight to your inbox first.

I’ll be quieter on Instagram, but this isn’t goodbye — just a season of rest before I return to supporting you in midlife.

Make sure you sign up for my newsletter to keep in touch!

Find everything at https://carolynmarshall.themamacoach.com/

09/04/2025

Why your sugar cravings might actually be hormonal.

Half of you guessed wrong in my recent poll:
🥄 The recommended max intake of added sugar is just 25g per day. That’s less than your average yogurt and granola bar—or one grande PSL, which clocks in at 50g. 😬

During perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen increases your risk of blood sugar issues. But excess added sugar? That makes everything worse.

☁️ More brain fog
🔥 Worse hot flashes
😴 Disrupted sleep
⚖️ Blood sugar crashes that lead to MORE cravings
🩺 Higher risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease

Start by reading food labels. Look for “added sugar.”
And focus on protein with every meal—it helps stabilize your blood sugar and naturally reduces cravings.

👉 Want tips, research, and practical hormone help while I’m on mat leave?

Subscribe to my women’s health newsletter (link in bio) or click here https://carolynmarshall.themamacoach.com/subscribe/

08/07/2025

“Stretch more” always sounded like a wellness cliché to Katie.

She was 47, walking daily, lifting weights a few times a week, staying active.
But her hips were tight, her back ached, and she dreaded getting out of bed in the morning. Everything felt stiff.

She assumed it was aging.
But it was perimenopause.

Estrogen affects collagen and joint stability.
Less sleep and more stress tighten everything up.
And let’s be honest—most of us sit too much and don’t stretch at all.

What helped?
Five to ten minutes of daily stretching.
One yoga or Pilates class a week.
Not chasing a six-pack—just rebuilding a body that felt good to live in.

This is what perimenopause care can look like.
It’s not fancy, but it works—especially when sleep improves, too.

If you’ve been feeling stiff or achy lately and nothing’s helping,
start with my free HRT Guide for Sleep.
Because if you’re not sleeping, you’re not recovering.

Link in bio.

06/25/2025

Still not sleeping after getting the Mirena? You’re not crazy.

You’re still up at 3am.
Still tossing. Still waking drenched.
Still anxious for no reason.

Here’s the thing:
The Mirena is helpful—but not for sleep.
It works inside the uterus, not in the brain.

If your sleep has been off ever since your cycles changed, it’s likely due to hormonal shifts—specifically low estradiol and progesterone.

To actually feel better, you may need systemic (all over HRT) not just an IUD.

I created a free HRT Guide for Sleep to help you understand the options that work—and how to get the help you need without being brushed off.

Download it here: carolynmarshall.themamacoach.com/free-hrt-guide
Let’s get you back to sleep.

06/18/2025

Still waking up at 3 AM, night after night—and being told “it’s just stress”?

Up to 60% of women in perimenopause report sleep problems, and research now confirms: this is a hormonal issue.

The fluctuations and decline in estrogen and progesterone directly disrupt your sleep—even without hot flashes.
And yet, most women are never told that hormone therapy might help.

Multiple studies show that HRT—especially regimens with estrogen + progesterone— can:
✔️ Improve self-reported sleep quality
✔️ Reduce sleep latency (time it takes to fall asleep)
✔️ Decrease nighttime wakeups

That doesn’t mean it’s for everyone. But it does mean you deserve the full picture—not just a prescription for a sleeping pill.

That’s why I made a free HRT guide. It walks you through:
– What hormone therapy really is
– How to know if you’re a good candidate
– What to ask your provider (and how to navigate dismissal)

🩺 Written by a Registered Nurse + Menopause Society Certified Practitioner.
🛌 Because women deserve better sleep—and better answers.

📘 Download the guide - https://carolynmarshall.themamacoach.com/free-hrt-guide/

06/11/2025

Honoured to be invited by the Sudbury Women's Centre to speak with their clients about perimenopause and menopause.

This is a topic that’s so often misunderstood or ignored—yet it affects every woman, and the impact on our physical, mental, and emotional health can be huge. I believe everyone deserves access to clear, compassionate, and evidence-based education about this transition.

Grateful for the opportunity to share what I’ve learned as a Registered Nurse and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP). Every woman deserves to feel informed, validated, and supported.

Join SWC and Carolyn Marshall RN, MN, MSCP on June 25th at 2pm for an informal discussion on perimenopause, menopause, and how to navigate the changes in your body with confidence, grace, and empowerment. As part of our initiative for World Wellbeing Week (June 24th-30th), this discussion is open to any interested individuals who may be interested in learning how to adapt to the changes in their bodies.

Carolyn Marshall is a Registered Nurse with over 14 years of experience and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP), specializing in women’s health across the lifespan. With a background in maternal-child health, acute care, and health education, she brings a warm, down-to-earth approach to conversations that are too often confusing or overlooked—like the hormonal shifts that come with perimenopause and menopause.

Through her private practice, Carolyn The Mama Coach - Rn/Mscp, Carolyn supports women through big life transitions—from postpartum to perimenopause—offering evidence-based care that is honest, inclusive, and empowering. She believes women deserve to understand what’s happening in their bodies and have access to safe, clear, and supportive care.

In this session, Carolyn will walk through what perimenopause and menopause actually are—what’s happening to your cycle, how symptoms can show up (and be dismissed), and what treatments and supports exist. Whether you’re just starting to notice changes or are already in the thick of it, this session is here to help you feel more in control, more informed, and less alone.

This valuable informational session is free to attend, though pre-registration is required. To register and reserve your spot, please contact Michele at michele.cyrenne@sudburywc.ca

05/22/2025

If you’ve ever suffered through work with hot flashes, brain fog, or insomnia—while pretending everything was fine—this post is for you.”

Because here’s the truth:
Most workplaces are doing nothing to support women during perimenopause and menopause.

❌ No policies.
❌ No benefits.
❌ No education for managers.
And women are paying the price—with their careers.

📉 1 in 5 women have considered quitting because of menopause symptoms.
💸 It’s costing employers $26 billion a year in lost productivity, burnout, and early retirement.

And yet most of us are still told to “tough it out.”

You deserve better.
Menopause isn’t just a personal issue—it’s a workplace issue.

Save this post.
Send it to your manager.
Bring it to HR.
Let’s change the conversation—and the conditions.

Check my stories to download the free employer handout from the Menopause Society.

05/20/2025

🌞 Out of Office Alert!
Just a heads up—I'll be on vacation from June 30 to July 11, recharging and probably sweating in a lawn chair somewhere near water.

Starting July 14 to August 5, I’ll be shifting into summer hours—offering virtual appointments only on Tuesdays from 10 AM to 3 PM.

If you’re hoping to feel more like yourself by summer—more energy, better sleep, less "WTF is happening to my body"—now’s the time to book. Because come July, things slow down around here (intentionally).

👉 Book your discovery call now—your future self will thank you.

05/12/2025

Ever felt overwhelmed by the constant message that health means eating less and moving more? It’s time to rewrite that story! Join me for the “You Don’t Need to Eat Less and Move More” workshop where we’ll debunk common myths around dieting and exercise and explore how a balanced, joyful approach to wellness can truly transform your life.

Offered for free to all First Nation's women on Manitoulin Island!

✨ Discover how to embrace nourishment over restriction
✨ Learn sustainable wellness strategies that honor your lifestyle
✨ Connect with a community that values intuitive, healthy living

Register with Beverly at beverly.macintyre@nthc.ca

05/12/2025

Painful s*x after perimenopause isn’t just “part of aging.”
It’s your body asking for support—and you deserve real solutions, not dismissal.

Many women experience vaginal dryness, burning, irritation, or bleeding after s*x during perimenopause and menopause. It’s called GSM (genitourinary syndrome of menopause), and it's extremely common—but NOT something you have to just put up with.

Treatments like vaginal estrogen, moisturizers, and lubricants can make a world of difference—so you can get back to feeling like yourself again.

If you’ve been told “it’s just aging” or “use more lube”—you deserve better care.

Save this post for the day you decide you’ve had enough of feeling uncomfortable.
Or reach out—I’m here to help you navigate this stage with real, evidence-based support.

04/28/2025

I am thrilled to be offering these workshops! Available at no cost for ALL INDIGENOUS women who live on Manitoulin island!

Upcoming Virtual event Tuesday, May 13th with .carolyn. Register with: beverly.macintyre@nthc.ca or call/text (705) 968-0704