Jennie is one of our brilliant guest bloggers who has already shared some great advice on returning to work with a stoma. Here, she gives her top tips for travelling with a stoma this summer as a busy Mum of two.

“I wondered if it was too soon to go away”

 The first time I went away I was really unsure. It was only three months after my operation, and I wondered if it was too early, but my Mum wanted to take me away with my sister for a few days because I’d been so poorly.  I had all the worries that you do at the beginning. I was concerned my bag might blow up on the plane, but it was fine. The air pressure can make your bag inflate a bit and it did happen, but I just went to toilet and emptied the air out. You just have to keep an eye on it.

“Pack enough bags for two changes a day”

These days, my packing list is second nature. Being an ostomate I would say I always take more bags than I need. I pack enough for two bag changes a day even though I don’t usually need that, but I’d rather have more than not enough and panic when I’m there. I also spread my bags between my luggage, so I always have some in carry-on if I need it. I prep my bags beforehand, so I don’t need to take scissors and the adhesive remover sprays are just the right size to fit in the clear plastic bags. Wipes are good too, but I like the spray so it’s great that I can take that.

“Make people aware you have a stoma”

You can get travel certificates, speak to people at the airport or pick up a sunflower lanyard to make people aware you have a stoma. And don’t forget you might need documentation for medication. I’m travelling with an injectable medicine this year which has to be kept in the fridge so I’m researching cool bags at the moment to take on the flight. It’s also worth finding out where the nearest doctor and pharmacy is near to where you’re staying or the closest hospital if it’s soon after your surgery.

“I use Trio Pearls to thicken my output”

The sun can make your output higher and runnier. Because I was in the sun the first time I travelled I did experience a lot of leaks. This can happen for lots of reasons, due to the heat or food and drink, but for me I think it was actually just because my body was adjusting after surgery. I’d put on weight and actually needed a convex bag but didn’t realise it at the time. Now I’m on convex I’m fine and have been away since with no problems. You worry that output can get under the flange and cause it to come off. I use Trio Pearls on holiday because it thickens up output which means my bag isn’t full all the time or I’m not constantly emptying it.

“I tend to eat little and often”

My main issue on holiday is dehydration. I always take sachets of Dioralyte™ with me and make sure there are some pharmacies nearby that stock it if I run out. Because of the kids we always do a shop before going to the hotel anyway and I make sure I buy lots of drinks to keep in the room. If I get dehydrated it makes me really poorly, so I tend to choose places that aren’t too hot. I’m lucky in that I can eat quite a lot of things without any problems but instead of avoiding foods that I don’t tolerate well I just eat them in moderation. I wouldn’t want to have a blockage in a foreign country, so I tend to eat little and often. I take snacks with me too. Ready Salted crisps are really good for dehydration.

“It’s 100% doable, you just have to be prepared”

If you’re thinking about travelling for the first time I’d say just make sure you’re well prepared. There are always scary things about going on holiday with a stoma, like wearing a bikini, but if you have a back-up plan, you’ll be fine. I took high waisted bikinis with me on holiday, but it was so hot I ended up being brave and wearing shorter ones. Pick somewhere that isn’t too hot, drink lots of fluids and take extra bags.

It’s 100% doable, the only thing that would stop people from going away is the fear of something happening, but you don’t know until you try it. It’s just about having the confidence to overcome your fears.

About the author:  Jennie is ‘Ostomummy’ on Instagram where she’s an inspiration to other young mums who are ostomates worldwide. She lives and works in Blackpool with her partner and two sons. If you’d like to become one of our guest bloggers, please get in touch.