To Wear Or Not to Wear A Bikini

The summer holiday season and hot weather is fast approaching and finding the right bikini or swimming costume is a task that I don’t undertake lightly. I have to consider my stoma bag, size of stoma and placement which makes ordering online a pain so I have to go out and try on the items prior to purchase. I also have a chest so have to cater for that as well.

As a general interest piece, I thought I would garner responses from the ladies who have a stoma or two across my social media channels and find out as to if they would wear a two piece bikini and if they had a preference for high or low waisted, they also explained their preferences. Surprisingly this wasn’t due to their stoma but more to do with their own conceptions of their body image.

Poll results

75.5% – Yes I wear a two piece bikini

20.5% – No I don’t

4% – They are uncomfortable

26% – Low waisted

74% – High Waisted

Bikini time

After stoma formation the last thing we think about is swim wear. Then you start thinking that a two piece isn’t a viable option due to your stoma or stomas. For me it’s not been a massive issue, but I still then have to brace myself wearing it on holiday and dealing with the odd curious question as to what it is and how did I get it.

Overall typical British behaviour is to point and stare and perhaps talk in muted whispers. Abroad it has never been an issue and people really don’t care. I wear swimsuits when I take my daughter or nieces swimming purely to protect my body; its bad enough having your child unintentionally flash the entire pool hanging on for dear life without one of them then trying to detach your stoma bag.

All the high streets have a mixture of midi bottoms, shorts, high waisted or tankinis so shopping to accommodate the bag isn’t an overly big concern.

High waisted is better for more security so the bag isn’t flapping about. But for me, I prefer the lower waisted as the aforementioned makes me look a little on the chunky side when my bag fills up and it also pokes out of the top so its counterproductive to hide or disguise the stoma.

Ostomy based swim wear

Several companies make ostomy swimwear but this can sometimes mean paying more. This is because it is classed as a specialist product and not everyone is able to afford what could be considered as a luxury for the one let alone a week’s worth of swimwear for holiday if you are away for ten days.

I like to mix mine up with a mixture of high street swimwear and ostomy company based products.

I have two swimsuits: one from Vanilla Blush and one from Respond Healthcare. I also have a two piece from Aura Clothing who have just launched their ostomy jeans and swim wear line. I absolutely love the Aura Clothing two piece as the knickers have a pouch inside to tuck the bag and then an overlapping section at the top to cover the top of your bag. I have as of yet to swim in the sea in the last three years and finally looking forward to being able to dive off of a boat and go swimming in the bay whilst I am in Majorca, and not have to worry about my bag flapping about or getting caught when dive bombing off of the boat.

Statement from Aura Clothing

Our products bring together the finest materials, purposeful design and glamour to meet the needs of ostomates who want products that are both unique and beautiful. We believe in quality, care, and creating products that you can enjoy for years to come. What inspired us to design and make our swimwear collection? We are motivated by the women and men who struggle to wear everyday clothing due to their ostomy, tubes, scars, hernias, stretch marks or even those who are uncomfortable with their abdominal region. We wanted to create women’s Swimwear that was both sexy, comfortable and functional for their ostomy bag/bags. For us, ethical fashion is so important. It meant we had to source high quality materials, seek out suitable manufactures and using packaging that is eco-friendly. Our aim is to continue to create and produce high quality garments with functional detail for both men and women.

As always

Many thanks for reading

Louise X

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