You will most likely be taught how to empty the bag, change the bag and attach a new bag. This is because the bag is generally changed every 3 days (this may change hospital to hospital or depending on the type of colostomy application used) *but* the colostomy bags are notorious for not staying on for anywhere near that long so it’s never a “determined” time between bag changes.

She will have to be nil by mouth before surgery because the baby will be given anaesthesia. They will keep your baby hydrated by an IV. She may still feel hungry because her tummy is empty so YOU and her pacifier will be a key tool in comforting her. . On the other hand she may not even notice!

As for hospital stay – it depends. It depends on whether they decide to ventilate her for the surgery, if she tolerates the surgery well, and she’s free from complications (infections, etc…). Next, they will most likely start feeds slowly (because the bowel does get cut) so it depends on how fast they increase her feeds. Also the family has to be taught all about the colostomy bag and how it works, and how to change it. Each hospital has different protocols so your doctor would be a good person to ask. You may go to the NICU or the pediatric ICU after surgery. It will definitely be some sort of ICU setting (I would think, but depends on the hospital and their protocol), at least for a little while.

I do not know anyone who had a colostomy bag that young. My BIL had an ileostomy bag after his colon ruptured. This is practically the same thing, except the stoma (opening coming out) where the appliance fits on was not the colon, but the ileum (higher up) small intestine instead of large intestine.

My husband is a certified WOC nurse (wound ostomy care-skin care) so he is a colostomy specialist. Yes you will be changing the colostomy bags. They won’t throw you to the wolves. 1 its not that hard. 2 you have to change it or rinse it with every bm, 3 BF babies have several bm’s a day. You will be educated on it, and at first there will be someone doing home visits for it though it probably won’t be a WOCN (they cost too much), it will probably just be a regular RN. She won’t have an appliance for long. But it will require another surgery to reverse the elimination. She will get an IV during the procedure. I do not know how long she would be in the hospital for, I am guessing a couple of days maybe but I do not know. With a colostomy its easier because the lg intestine is where stool is formed. When the ostomy is higher up like an ileostomy it leaks more and it breaks down the skin. She will have a diaper overtop of the appliance for urine.

I am a nurse too, and have had patients with dementia who had a colostomy bag, its not bad at all and in a baby, I can’t imagine that being any less unpleasant than changing a regular diaper, only different, but no harder.

A colostomy bag looks similar to the older style vaacum bags, only the bag is clear and plastic. At the opening, there is a round sticker usually there are several types that you peel off and stick over top of the stoma to the skin. On older versions you have to cut out the opening to fit the stoma size but I don’t think you have to do that anymore. Colostomy pouches have come a long way in the past 20 yrs. That is about it, there are barrier creams water soluble lubricants but she shouldn’t have any of that, then there are what looks like fake skin a square of it, sometimes that’s put on to protect but you probably won’t be dealing with that either. i wouldn’t think you’d be irrigating either. What type of colostomy will it be?