Not just as in 'periods'. Not just as in you're 'pretty dang amazing' (you are). This time we mean p, as in 'pee'. Yep, a little bit of light stress incontinence is to be expected as we age, and can be most pronounced during pregnancy, after giving birth, and leading up to menopause. But whyyyyy?

Muscles, my dear. The bladder has muscles that contract when you need to pee; when those muscles tighten, urine is forced out through the urethra, and the sphincter muscles around the urethra relax to let it all out. If any of those pelvic floor muscles are a little lax on the contracting, then there may be a bit of urinary incontinence (meaning you can't control it). This might be most obvious/annoying during times of increased pressure, like when you cough, laugh hard, exercise, or sneeze. Anyone else "assume the position" in order to sneeze? Step 1) Stop walking if you're walking. Step 2) Criss-cross your legs and focus on tightening your pelvic floor muscles. Step 3) Sneeze ... wait for sneeze #2 ... sneeze again. Step 4) Proceed with caution.

A person in a short skirt crosses legs mid-stride.
Holding. šŸ˜¬

It'll P Okay

So does that mean that deep belly laughter and bouncy houses are off limits for the pee-wary??? Heck no! There are a few things you can do at home to help mitigate some of the factors that intensify light stress incontinence. Cutting back on caffeine, avoiding nicotine, eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly, and practicing Kegel exercises can help. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles by doing Kegel exercises have been shown to help 4 out of 10 people with light stress incontinence.

P Prepared!

A GladRags Pantyliner Plus can bring some pee-ace of mind to an otherwise incontinent situation. These breathable, all-cotton liners are super comfortable, and so slim you'll barely notice you're wearing one. They're perfect for light period days, as a back up to a menstrual cup, and for everyday use in case of sneeze attacks or backyard trampolines.

GladRags cloth pantyliner plus on a clothesline.

The GladRags Daily Liner Kit includes a Pantyliner Plus for every day of the week (that's 7) and a Carry Bag. One Daily Liner Kit will last you for years and years (maybe forever). Isn't that great?! You'll save money, reduce waste, and be covered no matter how big the belly laugh.

GladRags Daily Liner Kit is a solution for light stress incontinence and light period days.
The GladRags Daily Liner Kit

(Please note that these are not intended for full loss of bladder control. There are other factors that could lead to incontinence, and you should chat with your health care provider if it's more than "a little pee" or is accompanied by other symptoms.)