(0-3yo)
Bathing with an Ostomy
You can bathe your infant with the pouch on or off. Most ostomy pouches are water resistant so you can change the pouch after the bath.
- Empty the pouch prior to the bath.
- Dry the pouch after the bath using a towel or a blow dryer on the cool setting.
- If bathing your infant with the pouch off, ensure that you are rinsing the skin off thoroughly to ensure that all soap and shampoo are off the skin because these can interfere with getting the new pouching system to adhere.
Swimming with an Ostomy
Having an ostomy does not mean your child cannot go swimming. Using similar strategies as described for bath time are also helpful for swimming including:
- Emptying the pouch beforehand.
- Framing the wafer with waterproof tape or elastic barrier strips help to prevent the edges from lifting.
- Clothing such as a swim shirt or water-resistant shorts can be helpful and can add extra support.
Hope, support, and finding community
Parent Stories
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Contact Us
United Ostomy Associations of America
P.O. Box 2293
Biddeford, ME 04005-2293
Call us toll-free at: 1-800-826-0826.
Our Information Line hours are Monday-Friday, 9am to 3pm EST. If you have an emergency, please dial 911 or contact your local medical professional.
Please understand that UOAA is a private, nonprofit, advocacy and informational organization. We are not a medical facility and we do not have medical or legal professionals on staff. Therefore, UOAA does not provide Medical, Mental Health, Insurance or Legal Advice. Visit UOAA Virtual Ostomy Clinic provided by The Wound Company for non-emergency, virtual ostomy support.
