Her husband said, “Girls should always pee.” But you don’t have to take his word for it—his “professional life hacker” wife said her whole friend group lives by “GSAP” now.
Chelsea Anderson, @chelsea_explains, introduced the acronym GSAP, or “Girls Should Always Pee,” in a May 13 Instagram reel that has over 9 thousand likes. Anderson describes herself as a “professional life hacker” and “the Michael Jordan of babysitting,” so we can assume she knows what she’s talking about, having filed her GSAP reel under #pottytraining.
Simply put, the advice is to always pee because at some point you’re going to have to, and maybe there won’t be restroom available, or the line is too long, or the bathroom is too gross. Girls Should Always Pee. Women in the comments related to the urinary drama that can ensue when they’re out in the world. Moms of girls especially, seemed to get it. Others chimed in with some pelvic floor science that is less straightforward. According to pelvic floor experts, it’s more like “Girls Should Always Pee When They Have to Pee.”
GSAP ‘will change your life.’
“I would normally never condone a man telling a woman what to do with her body, but I make one exception and that’s for GSAP,” Anderson said. She explained that her husband invented the acronym after he stood by as Anderson left “countless establishments” claiming, “I can hold it. I don’t need to go. I’ll just wait… til we get home,” only to lose her mind with the urge to pee as soon a restroom was nowhere in sight. Anderson’s husband finally reasoned with her and said, “You should always pee. Girls should always pee.”
Anderson shared the wisdom and way of life on Instagram. “Whenever I’m about to talk myself out of going to the bathroom, I say—No. GSAP. Girls should always pee.”
Commenters agreed that GSAP is a motto for women to live by
“My mom calls this a preventative pee…it’s doctrine in our house hold and now three generations deep,” commented @thewyldrose.
“Yeaaaaaah. As a mom especially, (iykyk) my motto has always been pee before you leave anywhere. If they have a restroom... it's worth visiting. GSAP is simpler and absolutely sticking in my brain,” shared @jainatina.
The pelvic floor expert's take is a little more nuanced.
“I was told by my pelvic physio never to just-in-case pee as it retrains the bladder not to hold as much. Then you keep needing too,” shared @seasaltandsarah.
According to urologists, people should not hold their pee, but they shouldn’t pee too often either. “Going to the bathroom frequently can cause overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms because your bladder becomes used to peeing when it feels even a small amount of urine inside, even when it's not full.” Medical professionals at Aeroflow urology recommend women urinate 6-8 times in 24 hours.
It’s a delicate balance, but you can’t go wrong with this advice from @jennygarrard:
“GSASAFAPFT (Girls should always seek advice from a pelvic floor therapist).”
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