Soft, absorbent and effective
Having an ostomy does not mean leakage. A pouching system that fits well, changing on a schedule that prevents stool or urine from getting on the skin, and emptying when the pouch is 1/3 to 1/2 full should all make leakage an event like putting your shirt on backwards – it kind of leaves you scratching your head at what went wrong. If you are having leakage on a regular basis please see your ET nurse!
That said, there are sometimes leaks, and having tools to minimize the damage-control needed to fix the issue helps. Enter the PeapodMat.
This product was brought to our attention by the wife of a gentleman with a urostomy (a stoma that puts out urine). He was having leakage at night, and it meant they both had to get up, change the bed in the middle of the night and then try to get back to sleep. She saw the PeapodMat on Dragon’s Den and thought, ‘gee… I wonder if that would work for us’. The first nighttime leak that occurred after starting to use the mat was not discovered by the wife until the next morning – the gentleman had woken up, removed the Peapod Mat and placed it in the tub, put down a new one and fixed the leak. The bed stayed dry, and the wife stayed asleep.
PeapodMat has 3 layers; terry cloth on top, a middle layer to hold moisture and third waterproof, non-slip backing.
PeapodMats come in two sizes (3 x 3 ft., and 3 x 5 ft.) and four colours (mauve, sand, navy blue and grey). They have a lovely soft terry cloth surface on one side and a soft but slip-proof material on the back. It does not have a crinkly plastic feel at all, and best of all, it can be washed and dried on a normal cycle.
We compared two bed protectors, the PeapodMat and another fitted sheet with a plasticky backing (mattress protector), to see which absorbed more quickly. The water poured onto the standard mattress protector spread out along the surface and poured into my shoe. The water poured onto the PeapodMat spread for about 10 seconds before settling into the absorbent layer. My shoe stayed dry. If you were sharing a bed with someone, moisture would stay contained on the PeapodMat, rather rolling toward the indent on the other side of the bed. I checked to see if fluid would come through the back of the Peapod Mat, but none did. The back stayed completely dry, meaning the sheets below would not have to be changed. The surface does stay wet, so it would need to be removed and replaced, but you probably want to wash it anyway.
Keep the other side of the bed dry with an absorbent pad that quickly traps moisture.
There are many other reasons, besides an issue with a leaking pouch (again, if this is a regular occurrence, please see your ET nurse!!), that an absorbent mat like this might come in handy: kids who are being potty trained, kids who have enuresis (bedwetting), people who are having lots of night sweats during menopause, people who are having menstrual leakage before menopause, adults who are having continence issues at night, or to cover furniture if leaks are happening during the day.
The people who made the PeapodMat were kind enough to send us a sample, so if you want to feel it and pour water on it before you buy it, come and see us! If you want to purchase one, we will have them available for order – please give us 1-2 business days to bring it in for you. Unfortunately, this will not be a Pharmacare benefit, however your extended benefits (Blue Cross, Great West Life, etc.) may cover PeapodMats as an incontinence essential or for other medical conditions – check with your provider to be sure.
Visit the PeapodMat website for more information.
