Very generally speaking, colostomates empty 3 - 4 times a day, ileostomates 6 to 8 times a day and possibly during the night as well, and urostomates 10 to 12 times per day. If this seems like a lot, consider the number of times you go to the bathroom to urinate - use that opportunity to empty your pouch as well. You're in there anyway, right? One male ileostomate remarked that the biggest change his ileostomy has made in his life is that he never uses a urinal anymore. He empties his pouch every chance he gets, which means every time he urinates.
Many of us don't make special trips to the bathroom just to empty a pouch, unless we have a urostomy. Make each trip serve a dual purpose. (Could this be called multi-tasking?)
