The Mama Coach - Shannon Smith, RN, MSCP

The Mama Coach - Shannon Smith, RN, MSCP Menopause Nurse helping midlife women live well using Evidence Informed Solutions. Let's thrive in midlife!

Using the Mama Coach Model, I work 1:1 with women to provide an individualized, sustainable plan for the peri/menopause transition and beyond.

04/20/2026

Menopause is one single day - here's what that really means. So many women are told they’re “in menopause”…but the truth is, menopause is just one day! Yup - the day you hit 12 full months without a period.

Before that? Perimenopause.
After that? Post-menopause.

Understanding where you are makes everything easier - your symptoms, your hormones, your plan. It can be extra confusing if, for one reason or another, you do not have periods anymore but aren’t post-menopausal (for example if you have an IUD and stopped bleeding).

I can help! If you want personalized support through your stage of the transition, I’d love to help! Book your free discovery call and let’s get you feeling like yourself again!

Shannon Smith is a Registered Nurse and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) based in Mississauga, Ontario, with advanced training in perimenopause and menopause care. She provides evidence-based, personalized support to help women understand their symptoms, navigate hormonal changes, and build a plan that supports both immediate relief and long-term health.

If you’d like to book a session with her in person or virtually, use the link below: https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow/

If you need support from anywhere else in the world, we can connect you with a nurse in your community 👉https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/


Sleep is EVERYTHING!! Having a good night's sleep is one of the most common challenges women face in perimenopause and m...
04/11/2026

Sleep is EVERYTHING!! Having a good night's sleep is one of the most common challenges women face in perimenopause and menopause — and it impacts everything from energy to mood to metabolism.

The good news? Small, consistent changes in your sleep routine can make a big difference. 🌙✨

Save these tips and start building a healthier sleep routine tonight. And if you’re ready for personalized support, I’d love to help.

Shannon Smith is a Registered Nurse and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) based in Mississauga, Ontario, with advanced training in perimenopause and menopause care. She provides evidence-based, personalized support to help women understand their symptoms, navigate hormonal changes, and build a plan that supports both immediate relief and long-term health.
If you’d like to book a session with her in person or virtually, use the link below: https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow/

If you need support from anywhere else in the world, we can connect you with a nurse in your community 👉https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/

Perimenopause can be a wild ride! It can start as early as 35 and bring a whole bunch of symptoms—or maybe just a few (o...
04/04/2026

Perimenopause can be a wild ride! It can start as early as 35 and bring a whole bunch of symptoms—or maybe just a few (or none at all if you're lucky!)—because the estrogen levels from your ovaries are starting to fluctuate. Our bodies much prefer steady hormonal states so it's this fluctuation that causes the chaos.

Some lesser-known symptoms include vaginal dryness, pain during s*x, irregular periods, bladder leaks, and frequent UTIs. There’s no single test that confirms perimenopause, but blood work may help rule out other causes.

The best approach? Work with a menopause-informed practitioner who can help make sense of what’s going on and build a plan that supports your health goals—now and into your 80s.

Shannon Smith is a Registered Nurse and Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) based in Mississauga, Ontario, with advanced training in perimenopause and menopause care. She provides evidence-based, personalized support to help women understand their symptoms, navigate hormonal changes, and build a plan that supports both immediate relief and long-term health.

If you’d like to book a session with her in person or virtually, use the link below: https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow/

If you need support from anywhere else in the world, we can connect you with a nurse in your community 👉https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/

03/29/2026

I recently learned a new word from Dr. Heather Hirsch — and I LOL’d when I read it.

“Peezing.”

As in: leaking a little urine when you sneeze, laugh, run, or jump.

Here’s the important part:
As estrogen declines during perimenopause, the tissues that support the bladder, urethra, and pelvic floor can become thinner and less elastic. This makes urinary leakage much more common, even in women who have never experienced it before.

The good news is that this is common, understood, and treatable.
Evidence-based options include:
• pelvic floor physiotherapy
• strength training done correctly
• vaginal or systemic hormone therapy, when appropriate
• addressing bladder habits and overall pelvic health

Thank you, Dr. Hirsch, for giving us both the language and the permission to talk about this. Once we name it, we can actually do something about it.

Shannon Smith is a Registered Nurse and MSCP based in Mississauga, Ontario. If you would like to book a session with her in person or virtually, click 👉 https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow/

If you need support from anywhere else in the world, we can connect you with a nurse in your community 👉https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/

03/26/2026

Midlife isn’t the time to try to get back to your 20-year-old body.

It’s about building a body that will support you for the next 20, 30, even 40 years.

As hormones change, we naturally start to lose:
• Muscle mass
• Bone density
• Strength

Which is exactly why strength training becomes more important during this phase of life.

And here’s the part more women need to hear:

It doesn’t have to be complicated.
And it doesn’t have to happen in a gym.

A 2025 study out of the University of Exeter found that even simple, home-based resistance training (like using bands) can significantly improve strength, balance, and physical function in women through menopause.

Small, consistent efforts add up.

This isn’t about shrinking yourself.
It’s about getting stronger — so you can keep doing the things you love.

Like dancing in your kitchen now…
and still dancing when you’re 70 💃

I help women understand how to support their bodies through perimenopause and menopause in realistic, sustainable ways. Let’s talk!

03/24/2026

More and more women are telling me the same thing lately…

They feel more irritable
More overstimulated
Less patient than they used to be

And they don’t understand why.

For many women in their late 30s and 40s, this can actually be linked to hormone fluctuations in perimenopause.

These shifts don’t just affect your cycle —
they can impact your mood, your stress response, and how you handle everyday things.

So if you’ve been wondering why you feel a bit different lately…this could be part of the reason.

I help women make sense of these changes and understand what’s actually happening in their bodies.

You can book a Peri/Menopause Navigation Session through the link in my bio and let’s get to the bottom of this!

Many women think perimenopause starts with hot flashes.But for many women, the first signs look very different.It might ...
03/19/2026

Many women think perimenopause starts with hot flashes.
But for many women, the first signs look very different.

It might start with:
• Sleep suddenly falling apart
• Feeling more anxious or irritable than usual
• Brain fog or trouble concentrating

These changes can happen years before your final period, which is why so many women don’t realize what’s happening.

Hormone levels in perimenopause don’t just decline — they fluctuate, and those fluctuations can affect every aspect of your life.

If you’ve found yourself thinking:
"Why do I suddenly feel so different?"
You’re not imagining it!

Understanding what’s happening in your body is the first step toward feeling better.

If you're wondering whether your symptoms could be related to perimenopause, I help women make sense of it and explore their options.

You can book a 1:1 Peri/Menopause Navigation Session through the link in my bio.

👇
Which of these symptoms surprised you the most?

Do this if you want to keep dancing into your 80's! Strong bones = strong future 💪 Let's dance into retirement!As estrog...
03/17/2026

Do this if you want to keep dancing into your 80's!

Strong bones = strong future 💪 Let's dance into retirement!

As estrogen declines in perimenopause and menopause, bone loss speeds up — and once it happens, we can’t get it back. But here’s the good news: you can slow it down and protect your future.

💡 By age 80, the average woman has lost 30% of her peak bone mass.
💡 After 50, almost half of women will have a fracture — and hip fractures can be life-changing.

The earlier you start, the better — but it’s never too late to take action. Exercise, especially strength training, is one of the most powerful tools we have to keep bones strong and prevent fractures.

Let’s find a movement plan that works for you so you can stay active, independent, and thriving for decades to come. 💜 Start your menopause support package today — your bones will thank you.

Shannon Smith is a Registered Nurse and MSCP based in Mississauga, Ontario. If you would like to book a session with her in person or virtually, click 👉 https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow/

If you need support from anywhere else in the world, we can connect you with a nurse in your community 👉https://themamacoach.com/find-a-mama-coach/

Many women think their only options are:suffer through menopause… or take hormones.But that’s not actually true.There ar...
03/17/2026

Many women think their only options are:
suffer through menopause… or take hormones.

But that’s not actually true.

There are multiple ways to treat menopause symptoms, and the right approach depends on your symptoms, health history, and personal preferences.

For example:
• Lifestyle strategies can improve sleep, energy, and mood
• Some non-hormonal medications can reduce hot flashes
• Newer treatments like fezolinetant (Veozah) target the brain pathway that triggers hot flashes
• Hormone therapy remains the most effective treatment for many symptoms, but it’s not the only option

The most important thing?
Women deserve to know their options so they can make informed decisions about their health.
If you feel like your body has changed and you're not sure what your next step should be, you're not alone. I help women make sense of perimenopause and menopause so they can feel like themselves again.

Book a 1:1 session or 6 Week Continued Support there: https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow

👇
Tell me in the comments:
Had you heard of fezolinetant before?

03/06/2026

Insulin. Thyroid. Estrogen. Progesterone.

All hormones.
All biologically active.
All impact multiple systems in the body.

We treat insulin deficiency.
We treat thyroid deficiency.

Yet when estrogen declines and symptoms affect sleep, cognition, metabolism, mood, and quality of life — women are often told it’s “just aging.”

Clinical research shows menopause hormone therapy can improve vasomotor symptoms, bone density, and even insulin resistance in appropriate candidates.

This isn’t about prescribing hormones to everyone.

It’s about acknowledging that menopausal hormones are not optional.

If you’re feeling dismissed or confused about your options, let’s unpack it together.

If I had a dollar for every woman who told me,“My doctor said everything is normal…”👀Normal lab ranges are broad. They’r...
03/03/2026

If I had a dollar for every woman who told me,
“My doctor said everything is normal…”

👀

Normal lab ranges are broad. They’re based on population data — not on YOU as an individual woman in midlife.

And in perimenopause? Hormones can swing dramatically. One single blood test doesn’t always tell the full story.

This isn’t about chasing numbers.
It’s about understanding your body.

If you’re feeling exhausted, foggy, anxious, gaining weight, not sleeping — and being told you’re “fine” — you deserve more than that.

You deserve context.
You deserve education.
You deserve support.

Book a 1:1 session and let’s make sense of it together. Book here: https://shannon-smith.themamacoach.com/booknow

02/18/2026

If you feel like you’ve hit rock bottom in perimenopause, please read this.

Research shows women’s life satisfaction often dips in the years leading up to menopause — and then rises significantly in postmenopause.

This is not the end of your vitality.
This is a transition.

But just because the curve eventually rises doesn’t mean you have to white-knuckle your way through the lowest point.

There is support.
There is treatment.
There are options.

If you’re in the “dip,” I see you — and I can help.

1-hour menopause clarity sessions now available
🔗 Link in bio

Graph from ‘The Menopause Brain’ by

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Mississauga
Toronto, ON

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