Menopause Doula
Perimenopause is the word used to describe the time before a typical Menopause Day. Which makes it easy to know when perimenopause finishes, but not when it starts.
The typical Menopause Day is the one moment in time when you have traveled along the menstrual health timeline to the point when the ovarian cycle has stopped permanently. When there has been no menstruation for 12 months, the next day is postmenopause, the time before that is perimenopause.
- Menopause Day may occur because of medication used to treat another health condition such as endometriosis or cancer, regardless of the distance traveled along the timeline.
- Menopause Day may occur before the age of 45, which is below the age of a typical menopause day which most often happens between the age of 45-55. This kind of Menopause Day is called Early Menopause.
- Menopause Day may occur below the age of 40, and this is termed Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI).
To some Perimenopause is a fairly new word, and others say it has been made up. The earliest known use is in the 1960s. The word was first used in an official clinical capacity in 2001 when the first Sexual Reproductive Agin Workshop (STRAW) was held and then modified to include Earl and Late Perimenopause when they met again in 2011 and the new revised edition became known as STRAW+10.
Peri means ‘a time leading up to’, however, it does not help us figure out when it starts. Medically they consider the key indicator to be a change in the menstrual cycle, or ‘fertility becomes unpredictable’ (don’t like that phrase either as it takes back to reproduction).
Menopause Doula
The Menstrual Health Timeline is a sequence of events linked to DNA and time. Menstrual Health orchestrated by the ovaries and the brain.
When someone is born with ovaries and a uterus they will take their first step on the menstrual health timeline when their ovaries switch on, which we know to be around the age of 8. From this point, the estimated time frame of ovarian activity is 40 years, before the ovaries switch off again.
The Menstrual Health Timeline v Reproductive aging
From the point of ovaries switching on, to switching off, is medically defined as reproductive aging. I don’t like that term because it places the role of the ovaries and uterus exclusively in the reproductive system category. What if you don’t want to reproduce or find yourself unable to, does that mean they have no importance? I have chosen to use the term the menstrual health timeline to reflect a journey that links, menstrual health and ovarian aging, to overall health and well-being.
What happens next?
- There are 100s of hormones. We know a lot about the actions of many but you will hear mostly about the top 20. There are 3 main hormones at the top of the list, particularly when we are talking about menstrual and menopause health.
- These 3 very important hormones, referred to as sex hormones, are made in all humans.
- They have a vital role in all 11 systems of the body.
- There are 11 different functional networks in all humans. They work together to keep us alive. One of the key parts keeping them operating well is the method of communication between them – hormones.
- Hormones have no gender. No hormone is exclusive to one gender over another. It’s a huge misconception, and even today our children are taught the wrong kind of language about hormone health.
Do Sex hormones need a re-brand?
Calling the top 3 (oestrogen, testosterone & progesterone) sex hormones is a very old nomenclature based on the fact that they are part of the development of secondary sexual characteristics in humans. Technically, progesterone doesn’t really qualify but gets grouped into it by default because of menstruation and pregnancy.
There are only 2 pages in a school textbook about these hormones and they are placed on gender pegs, which creates a smoke screen around hormone health moving forward. Scientists have known for decades that sex hormones play a role in all 11 systems of the body. Since I discovered this I have never understood why it is not in textbooks at school or university education. Speaking as someone who taught the A Level Biology curriculum, who now knows about this massive hole in our education system, I just don’t understand why there has been no upgrade in what we teach.
I will explain more about The Menstrual Health Timeline in future blogs, but for now, here is an illustration of what it looks like.
Menopause Doula
A Menopause Tool Kit is a collection of actions and items that will enable you to manage symptoms and optimize your physical and mental health as you travel the menstrual health timeline.
It could equally be called a Menstrual Health Tool Kit.
What you choose today, may not be what you choose tomorrow. It’s all about balance.
Choosing what to add to the robust selection of items can only happen when you have a clear understanding of where you are and what the options are.
1. Learn about the menstrual health timeline
You can read a copy of Menopausology (no email required). This short read will explain the process of menopausing and give you an insight into why menopause transition may lead to some physical and emotional challenges.
2. Keep a Journal to collect the data on you
Use a symptom tracker, pen and paper will do, to identify the signs and indicators that you are noticing now. You could also recall any other symptoms that may have come and gone in the last few months or years. Write down as much as you can about your historic menstrual health.
3. Tune in to you
As you start to notice more things about yourself, start to record the information in terms of food, mood, movement, and stress. Also, note any significant differences in relation to your menstrual cycle. It may take 30 days or so to collect enough information but gradually you will start to get a much clearer picture of when symptoms occur, what makes them better, and when they are worse.
Key ‘supplements’ that could be in any menstrual or peri/menopause tool kit, are*:
Breathing (Vit O) – get plenty of Oxygen. Controlled breathing, on purpose with a purpose, will instantly reduce stress which triggers a reduction in cortisol, which then helps all hormones work better. What kind of symptoms may be helped? Feelings of sadness, anxiety, physical strains, vasomotor symptoms (hot & cold flushes, and sweats)
Move (Vit E) – exercise that helps to maintain muscle strength and joint flexibility will keep you mobile for longer in your lifespan. Moving requires the heart to pump and the lungs to inflate. Both help with circulation and cardiovascular strength. What kind of symptoms may be helped? Mindset, emotions, aches and pains, flexibility, brain fog.
Food (Vit N) – a good quality of nutrients is essential. Without a great source of vitamins and minerals from a wide variety of real foods you are not going to experience the best kind of natural hormone cascades that your body should be experiencing to function well. What kind of symptoms may be helped? Crushing fatigue, brain fog, joint aches & pains, temperature regulation, insomnia.
Rest & Destress (Vit Sr) – Stress and Sleep are two vital components of life. Whilst we need positive stressors to function, too many for too long of the negative stressors will impair all hormone functions, slowly grinding us to a halt. Sleep, or rest, must be good quality to balance out the stress. Sleep can become impaired not only because of changes in ovarian hormone levels but also because we rush into it. Take more break points in the day to connect with the parasympathetic nervous system. For example, while the kettle is boiling stand still and breathe, prep your real food meals, and chop/mix in a mindful way, let your mind wander, and journal for 5 mins before bedtime. What kind of symptoms may be helped? Insomnia, overwhelm, lack of joy, anxiety, vasomotor symptoms, ear and eye ones (anything related to the vestibular system)
Social Connections (Vit L) – finding joy and laughter during times of confusion feels like a complex ask. ‘Shouldn’t you be focusing on the core elements?’. We are human beings and we benefit from being human with others. Oestrogen has a direct relationship with oxytocin the ‘cuddle and care’ hormone, which also happens to be a brain chemical. Without enough oxytocin, it directly affects our happiness dial. The bad news is oxytocin depletion can present as aching muscles, sleep disturbance, and a bigger appetite for sugary foods. The good news is laughter swaps the cortisol in the bloodstream with the happy hormones oxytocin, dopamine, and endorphins. Altogether they can improve immune functioning, stress relief, cardiovascular health, reduced anxiety, sense of safety, and improved mood. What kind of symptoms may be helped? All of the above.
*The Bottom Line – Obviously, there is a play on the word ‘supplement’ and those 5 vitamins are not real – but I honestly think they should be.
About Fiona Catchpowle
Here’s a quick version, because I can talk forever about how I became a Menopause Doula and created The Menopause School to teach others.
My background as a Biologist, Holistic Therapist, Lecturer, and Social Media Marketer provides an eclectic mix of skills, that were the backdrop to creating The Menopause School.
In 2017 I took perimenopause by the horns and made peace with it. I don’t think you can say you beat or won against perimenopause. I think it’s far more successful if you find a relationship in which you become one.
It turns out my previous life experiences had done little to prepare me for the curious journey from periods to postmenopause. I later discovered this was the case for almost everyone I met who sat still long to have a conversation with me about menopause.
Retrospectively, I now know that the beginning had started at least 6 years before. The classic sadness, insomnia, palpitations, crushing fatigue, and brain fog symptoms had been present on and off for many years. Mix in some ‘why can’t I drive in the dark anymore’ scary moments, tinnitus that went on for days, plantar fasciitis so taking one step was agony, and spontaneous vertigo – you had a mysterious disease no one had heard of.
As a Holistic therapist for many years with my own business, I had never learned anything about menopause and how it could have affected my clients. As a Biology teacher, I knew only 2 pages in a GCSE textbook about hormones existed.
For me, the worst part about menopausing was the unknown. The anxiety that came with each new weird and wonderful health challenge was exhausting. By the time I got to 2017, the year I was going to be 50, I had used my skills and science-driven mind to devise a Food & Mood Diary, worked out a good movement routine, and identified lots of other triggers. I remember thinking how much easier it would have been if there had been someone to talk to. I simply wanted to reach out, have a conversation, and get some advice. Maybe someone like a Menopause Doula. I couldn’t find one so I decided to become one.
I started to explore how I could help others and it soon became apparent that there was no particular place or way of learning about menstrual health and menopause for Holistic Health & Wellness Therapists and other Complementary Alternative Practitioners. From this point forward The Menopause School started to take shape and officially opened its doors in September 2021. Driven by a passion to change the face of menstrual and menopause health education, I believe that this is possible by creating as many information touch points with menstruators as possible.
My aim is to create a global collective of Menopause Doulas. Saving lives, changing the world, one menopause at a time.
Menopause Doula
A Menopause Doula is someone who can guide, nurture, and support you, from periods to perimenopause and beyond.
Guide – I do this by providing general and specific information about menopausing, and how it applies to you. Before you talk with me I will send you some questions to answer so we can have a good insight of which direction our chat needs to go.
Nurture – This is where I listen to your menstrual health experience so far and find out more about what matters to you. It may also include some mindset work, and exploring your values and beliefs so we can start to build a menopause tool kit.
Support – Using my Menopause Mapping principles we gradually explore the glimmers and triggers and start planning your next best step along the menstrual health timeline
What kind of menopause information do we talk about?
Sometimes it’s a bit like a menopause lesson. I provide some helpful resources to give you some background knowledge and then you have plenty of time to ask me questions. My years of experience talking about menopause have given me some practical tools to explain the hormone biology, without being boring. Very early on in helping people navigate this time, I realied that you can’t manage what you don’t understand, so some basic menstrual health know-how helps you see the bigger picture, of where you’ve come from and where you are going.
Who can work with a Menopause Doula?
Anyone. It could be the person going through the experience or the people who love them.
- Most often if you can’t see the wood for the trees and want to reach it and speak with someone with lived experience and a lot of helpful tools and resources then this is the conversation for you.
- You could be someone who’s done a lot of homework, but hasn’t quite figured out the best way forward and would like some signposting and support.
- Maybe you have tried all the lifestyle measures, even added a sprinkle of HRT, but still feel exhausted and want some help.
I’m here for all of the above.
How often can you speak with a Menopause Doula?
As often as you wish. Unlike a therapist with a specific modality, we can give you a broad perspective of the dynamics of menopausing. I see myself as a generalised specialist.
However please do not confuse me with a clinical menopause specialist who prescribes pharmaceuticals.
- You may find that one menopause therapy conversation, with your Menopause Mapping guide in hand, is enough for you. You can always pop back again another time.
- Perhaps you know that you are the kind of person who will need a little prompt for a few weeks to keep you heading in the right direction. I can do that too.
- At any point, I am happy to speak with you and a special someone who is planning on being part of your Team Meno. It’s not always easy to explain to others what you’re feeling, so I can help you with that as well.
I have been in the holistic health and wellbeing arena for nearly 35 years, starting as a Beauty Therapist. I also trained in Applied Biology and became a Biology teacher. As I was going through perimenopause in a very haphazard way I realised that I had never been taught about menstrual health, let alone menopause health.
My vision is to increase access to information about menstrual health for everyone who needs it, across life stages. I didn’t have anyone to reach out to and ask the simplest of questions so I became one, for others. My particular style of Menopause Doula-ing also expands to menstrual health with a wider lens. So you don’t need to be perimenopausal to benefit from a conversation with me.
