JP Drain Bag Instructions

Remember that fabric you set aside for JP Drain bags from my post about 'How to cut out a Chemo scarf 101'? This post explains the simplicity of how to sew the drain bags. 

But, first...

What is a JP Drain? And what are they used for?

A Jackson-Pratt (JP) drain is used to remove fluids that build up in an area of your body after surgery. The JP drain is a bulb-shaped device connected to a tube. One end of the tube is placed inside you during surgery. The other end comes out through a small cut in your skin.

Women with Breast Cancer who have a mastectomy will have one or two of these placed in each breast following surgery. These drain are NO FUN! There are quite a few options of how to secure them so you can move about, but my favorite way was to tie a drain bag around my waist and tuck all FOUR of my drains into the bag. It was worn under my loose fitting, button up shirts and most people had no idea the drains or the drain bag was even there. I even wore one while taking a shower. These drain bags make life more comfortable for the people dealing with something uncomfortable. Although I just explained how these drain affect breast cancer women, they also are used for other surgeries and are gender neutral.

Ok, now on to the 'How to' part of this post...

 

1) Cut fabric into a 9 inch X 15 inch rectangle. Depending on how much fabric you bought to make scarves will determine how many bags you'll be able to make. 

2) Fold 9 inch sides and iron at 1/4 in

3) Fold edge over to make a nice finished edge. Repeat for both sides.

4) Cut 2 strands of double sided ribbon to 36 inches each.

5) Put right sides of fabric together, placing ribbon at the top edge. Fold right sides back together and sew. Be sure to back stitch a few times over where the ribbon was placed.

6) Repeat for other side.

7) Turn right side out.

Finished JP Drain bag.

If you are making these to donate: A great place to donate is to local hospitals surgical centers. Another option is to find surgeons that specialize in mastectomies and donate directly to them to give to their patients following surgery.

Speaking as a recipient of a drain bag following my mastectomy I can tell you how appreciative the receiver will be to get one of your drain bags. Thank you for using your talents and skills to bless and support others!