Carrying an ostomy pouch anywhere you go is nothing less than a challenge. But it is a challenge only until you get used to this routine. As soon as you will get used to this new routine, you will not find it challenging anymore.

Here is a simple guideline on how to change your ostomy pouch.

• First of all, wash your hands.
• You first need to set all of your equipment out within an easy reach on the bathroom’s countertop. Items that you may need here include an old bath towel, Kleenex tissues, plastic bag, washcloth, clean bath towel, pencil and stoma measuring device, scissors, a skin barrier wafer, moldable skin barrier wafers, stoma paste, new pouch, a tail closer if you are using a drainable pouch, hair dryer, and a swivel make up mirror.
• You need to empty your pouch rather than rinsing it out. That’s because rinsing can affect its ability to remain attached. And if you have got an advice regarding rinsing your pouch, you need to ignore it. You can empty your pouch while sitting comfortably on the toilet.
• A skin barrier is just like a tape which is attached to the body. To remove this tape, push the skin near the tape in inward direction while holding that edge of the tape between your fingers. Then pull away the tape from the skin. Make sure that you are pulling the barrier away from the skin slowly. You should not need an adhesive remover if your skin is normal and the barrier can be removed easily. But if the adhesive is too strong or your skin is irritated, you must use the adhesive remover. Adhesive remover spray is a better option because it doesn’t leave the residue.
• Old pouch, wafer and other wastes should be put away in the plastic bag for disposal. Make sure that you are not throwing away the tail clip because it remains valuable with the new pouching systems. It would be great if the bag’s color is black. Ostaway x-bag is the perfect option because it is black, leak-proof and odor proof.
• Clean the skin around your stoma with washcloth and warm water. You can also take shower at this point if you prefer bathing without a pouch attached with your stoma. Don’t worry about the waste coming out of the stoma while you are taking bath.
• You can dry the skin with Kleenex tissue. And for better results, use a hair dryer on a low setting.

Now is the time to measure your stoma. To have a better view, use the makeup mirror. You can place the mirror on countertop in such a way that your stoma becomes easily visible through that mirror. Measuring your stoma is important if it is not settled to a proper shape. The change in shape keeps happening for about ten weeks after the ostomy surgery. You shouldn’t have any problem in measuring your stoma if it is in circular shape. But if it is in over shape, you are going to have to take two measurements; i.e. from both short and long diameters.

• Use that measurement to trace the correct shape and size of your stoma on the back of the wafer. You can use scissors to cut the hole.
• Remove paper from the skin barrier and start applying it slowly and carefully over the stoma. You can look at the magnifying side of the glass to see if you are applying the barrier right according to measurements. The skin in which the barrier has to be placed needs to be flatter.

• ostomy care