The Spoonie Mummy

One of the most frequently asked questions of me, by someone facing or who has just had stoma surgery, is about what you can wear after surgery.

Well the short answer is… whatever you want! I would advise caution in those early months, when your recovery is key and you just need to be comfortable. Moving forward though, you will find your own way with what suits you, what you like and what is comfortable.

I now wear a lot of high waisted things. Not only are they popular and widely available now, it keeps my bag covered and supported while I am out and about. At home, I wear a mixture of high waisted and low rise things, some times I just want joggers or PJs on and will wear my bag out over those!

I have been sharing my #ootd and using the hashtag #whatostomateswear on my Instagram for a number of years now. I wanted to show people that you can really wear what you want to post ostomy surgery. I also wanted to show how many of my outfits are just from the high street, proving you don’t need to buy anything special just because you have an ostomy. I have always told people you do not need to buy anything ostomy specific, and still stand by that – however I then came across I Am Denim and while I do wear jeans from other places, these really are soooo good!

I Am Denim London

I came across I am Denim on Instagram. They are a company run by Sophie who, post baby and post abdominal surgery, really struggled to find a comfortable pair of jeans that fit well.

I decided to purchase my first pair when they came on sale, as they can be quite pricey, especially as I am still unable to work at the moment. I have spoken to Sophie about this, so i am not writing anything I haven’t told her, but also understand the pricing due to her being a small business and once I received my jeans, I can confirm, the quality is definitely worth it!

I first bought the Super High Waisted jeans and they are probably the most comfortable pair of jeans I have ever worn, both pre- and post-surgery! These are perfect for not just people like me who have an ostomy, but also for those post C-section or any other abdominal surgery. They have washed really well and don’t shrink like many other pairs I have had do. They have a good amount of stretch to them, so they are really comfy, but still look like normal jeans rather than jeggings. The high waist comes right up over my whole bag, making them really comfortable to wear and my bag can still fill up comfortably underneath without issues, pancaking or leaks! The next pair on my wish list is these in black as they really are that good!

I have since gone on to grab the denim joggers and these are also lush – really comfy but nice enough to go out in if that makes sense!

I am Denim also makes shorts, post pregnancy jeans and jeans for guys, which I know are very popular with some of my male ostomate friends! You can check out the whole range on the website

I Am Denim Website

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I hope you are all well and getting into that festive spirit! Our tree went up at the weekend and we got to enjoy the snow on Sunday, which was cold but fun! Take care and keep safe,