Midwife and menstrual cycle educator Madeleine Murray shares her journey from suffering from endometriosis to finding peace through cyclical living. Now, she’s helping others create more ease and balance by syncing with their body’s natural cycles.
Name: Madeleine Murray
Pronouns: She/Her
Day job: Mum, menstrual cycle educator + midwife
Location: Melbourne
Describe your work in one sentence.
I guide women to understand their menstrual cycles as a powerful tool for self-awareness, helping them work with their natural rhythms rather than against them.
What led you on this journey?
I became obsessed with learning about the cycle from a place of immense struggle. I’d feel like myself 50% of the time, and the other half, I felt horrible with extreme premenstrual symptoms. This experience, along with debilitating period pain (which turned out to be endometriosis), led me on a journey to find answers - discovering that when I learned to work with my cycle rather than against it, everything in my life - from my health to my relationships to my work - began to flow with more ease. It was life-changing, so I'm passionate about sharing it with others!
What’s one shift in your well-being from your work?
When I stopped fighting against my premenstrual phase and instead learned to honour who I was in this phase and its natural call for rest and reflection, what was once my most dreaded time became a powerful filter. I use this phase to sift through what needs to change and what truly aligns with my values. This awareness has guided me to create a life that works for me.
How do you structure your day to support your well-being?
About six months ago, I incorporated specific Ayurvedic principles into my daily routine - establishing consistent times for waking, eating, and sleeping, along with a tailored diet and lifestyle protocol. This structured framework completely reset my hormonal system and created the perfect foundation for observing my cycle's natural fluctuations. The transformation in my health has been profound, reinforcing that menstrual health is reflected in overall functionality across the entire cycle, not just during menstruation.
What’s fascinating is that this consistency doesn’t create rigidity - quite the opposite. By establishing these daily anchors, I’ve developed a heightened awareness of how I feel within each of the four phases of my cycle. It’s genuinely amazing. My health challenges have largely dissipated. And while it requires discipline, there’s no substitute for feeling vibrant and healthy.
How does the cycle impact creativity and productivity?
I feel extremely creative during Inner Spring and Inner Summer, from the time I bleed until ovulation. I'm also highly productive during the inner summer/ovulatory phase. It's a phase of doing where ideas flow easily and implementation feels effortless. Inner Spring’s creativity is more outward and action-focused, whereas Inner Autumn's is more introspective and soothing - think gardening, knitting, or painting.
What’s your go-to self-care ritual for each phase?
- Inner Winter (Menstruation): I deliberately turn inward. I eliminate audio stimulation - no podcasts, minimal music, and reduced chatter. I do as little as possible. Of course, life continues, but with an awareness to significantly pare down my to-do list. I also follow a specific Ayurvedic protocol for the first four days of my menstrual cycle, which sets me up for the entire cycle.
- Inner Spring: My most important self-care ritual is planning. I mark my cycle days in my calendar and intentionally plan the upcoming month, considering each phase. This simple act of acknowledging my cyclical nature and planning accordingly prevents struggles later in the cycle.
- Inner Summer: This is when my husband and I schedule date nights! This phase's natural confidence, energy, and sociability make connecting much more enjoyable. Honouring my natural desire for connection during this phase has been relationship-changing.
- Inner Autumn: My best self-care for Inner Autumn happens in earlier phases, when I prepare for what I know is coming. I arrange additional support for the kids where possible, minimise social commitments, and ensure I have meals for the kids prepped in the freezer so I don't have to cook. This proactive approach transforms my most challenging phase into a more manageable and insightful time.
What wellness practices do you swear by?
The most important thing for me is to follow the Ayurvedic menstrual protocol strictly during days 1 - 4 of my cycle. It requires discipline - I won't pretend it's easy! However, this commitment completely sets the foundation for my entire cycle, and my endometriosis pain, along with extreme premenstrual symptoms, has become virtually non-existent. That freedom from pain makes every bit of discipline worth it for me.
What’s your go-to remedy for period pain or PMS?
For period pain, I always like to emphasise that a healthcare provider should investigate pain that interferes with daily life. For me, I keep it simple! A heat pack and rest (sometimes hard with two young kiddies!).
For PMS, I've found that consistently supporting my body and living in line with the four phases throughout my entire cycle, not just when symptoms appear, makes the biggest difference. I’ve also learned not to ignore what comes up in the premenstrual phase, as my intuition is high. This is an amazing time to sift through what's working and what isn’t.
Most importantly, I've learned to adjust my expectations during this time. Rather than fighting against my natural rhythms, I allow myself to slow down and honour what my body asks for.
What’s one common myth about the menstrual cycle?
Your period isn't actually 'late' - your ovulation was delayed.
The first half of your cycle (from day one of bleeding to ovulation) can vary in length based on stress, illness, exercise, or nutrition. Your body intelligently postpones ovulation when conditions aren't optimal for conception. Meanwhile, the second half (from ovulation to your next period) generally stays consistent at around 14 days.
This is why period apps can't accurately predict future ovulation dates - they have no idea what's happening in your personal life! Understanding this gives you more insight into your body's wisdom and helps explain why cycle lengths naturally vary.
What are some signs that your cycle is out of balance?
Numerous signs and personal symptoms may indicate a hormonal imbalance, varying significantly from person to person. These include things like cycle irregularity, dramatic mood shifts that feel beyond your control, and severe PMS symptoms that interfere with daily life. You may also notice changes in your sleep patterns, energy levels, skin health, or experience unusual pain. While some variation between cycles is normal, symptoms that consistently disrupt your quality of life are worth investigating. Your cycle is a vital sign of your overall health, and these signals are your body's way of communicating that something needs attention.
How can we properly track our cycle?
Well, I have a pre-recorded mini-course called 'Know Your Cycle' just for that! We cover everything from understanding your mucus changes to interpreting your basal body temperature. It’s so much more than just dates in an app!
Why do you think there’s still so much stigma around periods?
Period stigma persists because we've inherited centuries of silence around women's bodies, combined with a culture that values consistency over cyclical rhythms. We break this down through education, open conversation, and modelling a new relationship with our cycles - treating them as a source of wisdom rather than something to hide or overcome. When we stop apologising for our cyclical nature and start honouring it, we create ripple effects that gradually transform societal attitudes. Brands like Scarlet Period are helping change the narrative around periods so much.
How can workplaces better support people who menstruate?
I feel like we’re pretty far from this, but I used to teach at a Pilates studio that offered menstrual leave, which I thought was AMAZING as I was still experiencing debilitating endo pain. Ideally, workplaces could support menstruating people by offering flexible work arrangements that accommodate cyclical energy shifts, providing period products in bathrooms, creating menstrual leave policies that don't require medical documentation, and fostering an environment where discussing cycle-related needs isn’t taboo. The most impactful change occurs when leadership acknowledges that working with our cycles, rather than against them, enhances productivity and well-being in the long run. What a dream it would be if this were realised!
If you could rewrite sex ed for schools, what would you change?
My friend (who is an OB-GYN doctor) and I are in the process of getting some menstrual cycle education into schools. It’s hard to pick just ONE thing. We want girls to know that understanding their menstrual cycle has such power - that it’s not just about bleeding; it’s about understanding the entire cycle, the four phases, and the strengths and potential challenges.
What's your number one health message for womxn?
Understanding the four phases of the cycle (not just when you bleed) - the strengths of each phase and the potential challenges - has SUCH power. When you learn to live WITH your ebbs and flows rather than push against them, life is so much sweeter!
What are your hopes for the future of period talk?
My hope is that understanding your menstrual cycle and how it impacts all areas of your life becomes second nature, as familiar as checking the weather before planning your day. I dream of a world where we celebrate the natural ebbs and flows within our cycles rather than trying to suppress them in pursuit of daily consistency. For menstruating people, true harmony comes from embracing monthly patterns rather than forcing ourselves into the same energy level every day. When we work with our cyclical nature instead of against it, we unlock a more sustainable, intuitive way of living.
MY CYCLE
- My period in 3 words: Clarity, grounding, a return to myself (after a potentially tumultuous time during the pre-mestrum!).
- Flow style: Period undies, leggings, or loose pants paired with a cosy top. Comfort is KEY!
- Length: 4-5 days.
- Period self-care means: Honouring the entire cycle - the four phases (not just when I’m bleeding).
- Best period hacks: Living a Cyclical Life. I am clearing my schedule as much as possible to create time to turn inward and rest during my menstrual cycle. It's not always possible, but when the intention is there, it helps.
- Contraception of choice: Fertility Awareness Method
- On day 1, you’ll find me: Avoiding mothering, being as horizontal as possible, cutting myself some slack, and bingeing something on Netflix if that’s what I feel like.
- Scarlet pick: I’m just getting back into cycling since my second baby - I’m dying to try rae, your Period Cup cup AND Period Underwear!!
