Colostomy Care at Home

Reviewed by Gustavo Grimaldi, RN
Last reviewed: November 2, 2026

A colostomy is an opening made in the belly during surgery. Part of the large bowel (colon) is brought through this opening. The opening is called a stoma. Stool (poop) leaves the body through the stoma into a pouch. A colostomy can be short-term or long-term. With practice, most people care for it well at home. This page shares simple, general tips. Always follow your own nurse's and doctor's orders first.

There are other kinds of ostomies. An ileostomy comes from the small bowel. A urostomy carries urine. Their care is different. If you have one of these, follow your care team's teaching.

The short answer

• Empty the pouch when it is one-third to one-half full.
• Change the pouch on the schedule your nurse gave you, or if it leaks.
• Keep the skin around the stoma clean, dry, and healthy.
• Make sure the pouch opening fits close around the stoma.
• Eat and drink as your doctor or dietitian tells you.
• Call your doctor or nurse if the stoma or skin looks wrong, or stool stops.

What a healthy stoma looks like

• It is pink or red and moist, a bit like the inside of your mouth.
• It may bleed a tiny bit when you clean it. This is often normal.
• It has no feeling, so it does not hurt to touch.
• It may shrink in size in the first weeks after surgery. Your nurse may re-measure it.

Emptying the pouch

• Wash your hands before and after.
• Empty the pouch into the toilet when it is one-third to one-half full. A full pouch can leak or pull off.
• Clean the end of the pouch with toilet paper, then close it.
• Some pouches are closed and are thrown away instead of emptied. Use the kind your nurse chose for you.

Changing the pouch

Your nurse will teach you the steps. Their steps come first. In general:

• Gather your supplies first.
• Wash your hands.
• Gently peel the old pouch off, pushing the skin away from it.
• Clean the skin around the stoma with warm water. Pat it dry. Avoid oily soaps or lotions there, unless your nurse says they are okay.
• Check the stoma and skin.
• Cut or fit the new pouch opening to your stoma size, if your nurse showed you how.
• Press the new pouch on and hold it for a short time so it sticks well.
• Put the old pouch in a plastic bag and throw it in the trash.
• Wash your hands again.

Caring for the skin

• Healthy skin around the stoma looks like the rest of your skin.
• Red, sore, itchy, or broken skin often means stool is leaking under the pouch.
• Leaks can happen when the opening is too big, or the pouch is left on too long.
• Tell your nurse if your skin is red or sore. Do not keep putting pouches on broken skin without help.

Eating and drinking

Your doctor or dietitian will tell you what to eat. In general:

• Many people go back to their usual foods over time.
• Eat slowly and chew food well.
• Drink fluids during the day, unless your doctor told you to limit them.
• Some foods can cause gas or smell, like beans, cabbage, onions, and fizzy drinks. Notice how foods affect you.
• Some foods can be hard to digest, like nuts, popcorn, and raw vegetable skins. Ask your care team about these, especially soon after surgery.
• Ask before taking any new vitamin, laxative, or stool medicine.

Daily life

• You can often shower with your pouch on or off. Ask your nurse.
• Most people can wear their usual clothes.
• Ask your doctor when it is safe to lift, drive, or go back to work.
• Keep extra supplies with you when you go out.
• It is normal to have feelings about a colostomy. Talk with your care team. Support groups can help.

Call your doctor or nurse if

• The stoma turns very pale, purple, dark, or black.
• The stoma swells a lot, sinks in, or sticks out much more than usual.
• The stoma bleeds a lot, or bleeding does not stop.
• The skin around the stoma is red, sore, or broken, or has pus.
• The pouch keeps leaking.
• You have a fever.
• You have watery stool for more than a day, or signs of dehydration, like dark urine, dry mouth, or dizziness.
• No stool or gas comes out for longer than your care team said is okay.
• You have belly cramps, bloating, or nausea.

Call 911 if

• The stoma turns black or dark purple and you have bad belly pain.
• You have bad belly pain with vomiting, and no stool or gas is coming out.
• There is heavy bleeding from the stoma.
• You feel faint, very weak, or confused.
• You have trouble breathing or chest pain.

Questions to ask your doctor or nurse

• What size is my stoma? Will it change?
• How often should I change my pouch?
• What should I do if my skin gets red?
• What foods should I avoid for now?
• How long can I go without stool before I call?
• When can I shower, lift, or drive?
• Where do I get more supplies?
• Who do I call after hours?

How Newstart skilled nurses help

• Home health care brings skilled care, like nursing and therapy, to you at home. It follows a care plan from your doctor.
• Our skilled nurses can check your stoma and skin, as your doctor orders.
• They can teach you and your family how to empty and change the pouch.
• They can watch for problems and tell your doctor about any changes.
• Home health care may be covered by Medicare if you qualify. Ask your doctor if home health care is right for you.
• Newstart Home Health Inc is licensed in 7 Southern California counties. We are currently serving Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange Counties. We are also Medicare-certified.
• We provide skilled home health care only.

FAQ

Related pages

• Skilled Nursing
• Wound Care at Home
• Preventing Infection at Home
• Request Care

Sources

1. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Ostomy." https://medlineplus.gov/ostomy.html (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)
2. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Colostomy." https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002942.htm (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)
3. MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH). "Changing your ostomy pouch." https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000204.htm (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)
4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK, NIH). "Ostomy Surgery of the Bowel." https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/ostomy-surgery-bowel (checked Nov 2, 2026, PT)

Last reviewed: November 2, 2026