This topic is about understanding the safety of a stoma during intimate moments, addressing common myths, potential risks, and protective options. Here's some advice and insights shared by people familiar with the subject:

1. Penetration is unsafe:
- A stoma is meant to be an exit only. Inserting fingers, genitals, toys, or other objects can lead to bleeding, injury, infection, or pain.
- Medical professionals often advise new ostomates against engaging in "stoma sex."

2. General intimacy is fine; protect the stoma from direct pressure:
- Normal close body contact won't harm the stoma.
- Some people prefer using a stoma guard during face-to-face positions to prevent accidental pressure or the appliance from being pushed inward.

3. Stoma guards and plugs:
- A stoma guard can protect the stoma during activities that might compress the abdomen, including sex.
- Stoma plugs can be used instead of a pouch for short periods. They are similar to small anal plugs but are designed not to expand.
- Some people use Coloplast stoma plugs daily, which can be requested as samples. Insertion might require gentle digital dilation if there's a peristomal hernia.

4. Bleeding can occur easily:
- Even routine wiping can cause a stoma to bleed, and repeated trauma from attempted penetration would worsen this.

5. Sensation facts:
- While the intestine has nerves, the part of the bowel that is externalized gradually loses sensitivity. Minimal sensation doesn't equate to sexual pleasure and doesn't eliminate the risk of pain or damage from forceful entry.

6. Myth-busting:
- A stoma cannot function as a substitute for a vagina or anus. It lacks a sphincter, muscular tone, and any mechanism that would make penetration pleasurable or safe.
- Stories about using stomas in this way are cautionary tales, not viable practices.

Manufacturers and resources mentioned include Coloplast for stoma plugs and the United Ostomy Associations of America website, UOA.org, for more information.