Anyone use tens during second labour?

[lovecloud]

Hello

Used it during my first and I am sure it helped especially the booster button.

I had read about alot of second labours and heard about many women locally too through the grapevine and on average they seem to last 2 - 6 hours. Three last week I heard were all under an hour!!!!

So I hope to be somewhere around 3 hours ... fingers crossed!

I just wondered with the speed of it all, did you get to actually use the tens long enough to make to gain any benefit? Just wanted to make sure I would not be wasting the £30 hire fee.

Thanks

[Yorkiegirl]

Message withdrawn

[Utka]

I used a tens first time around and wasn't that impressed, but did wonder whether I'd used it properly. I got to the top level really quickly, so moved onto gas and air, which made me feel really drunk and sick (I know other people who swear by it though). Ended up having an epidural, which was a relief at the time, though not what I'd planned.

Second time around, I was determined to go slower with the tens. After a 3 year gap, they'd improved the design a lot (I hired from Boots both times). There seemed to be more levels within the overall 3 levels. I took it slowly and made sure I really needed to move up a level before doing so.

As a result, I never made it to the top level, and had no other pain relief at all. The second labour was only 5 hours in comparison to nearly 24, so it's difficult to know how much more I'd have been able to hang on. But for me, it was really worthwhile. Having always thought I had a really low pain threshold, I was very chuffed with myself. HTH and good luck!

[Utka]

I used a tens first time around and wasn't that impressed, but did wonder whether I'd used it properly. I got to the top level really quickly, so moved onto gas and air, which made me feel really drunk and sick (I know other people who swear by it though). Ended up having an epidural, which was a relief at the time, though not what I'd planned.

Second time around, I was determined to go slower with the tens. After a 3 year gap, they'd improved the design a lot (I hired from Boots both times). There seemed to be more levels within the overall 3 levels. I took it slowly and made sure I really needed to move up a level before doing so.

As a result, I never made it to the top level, and had no other pain relief at all. The second labour was only 5 hours in comparison to nearly 24, so it's difficult to know how much more I'd have been able to hang on. But for me, it was really worthwhile. Having always thought I had a really low pain threshold, I was very chuffed with myself. HTH and good luck!

[Tommy]

I used the TENs second time round and I couldn't have done without it! The labour was quick (2 hours) and the TENS was put on about half way through I guess. It got me to the hospital over the bumpy roads and through delivery. Didn't have time for anything else!

[juliab]

If it helped last time, it'll help again, I reckon. Faster labours are more intense, IME. Think having the TENS to fiddle with is wonderfully distracting...

[NappiesGalore]

used tens in 1st and 3rd of my labours - no time in second as i didnt have it handy and by the time i got to hosp i was ready to get in pool and push.
used it in 3rd labour a couple of weeks ago (at home), and although was only on for about 1/2 hour or less (another quickie!) before i got in pool and got on with serious labour/pushing stuff, was really glad i had it.

funny, but you never really remember quite how much it hurts till youre doing it again... took the edge off it enough to get me through that first part.

water much better pain relief though! never thougth it would be prior to birth no1, but it was!

[TigerFeet]

I'm similar to these other stories - wonderful relief in first but no time in second. My dh had the pads out but there was no time in the end to get the thing attached. Ended up being emergency section anyway! Would recommend it though. I think I probably should've put it on before I left the house but hadn't quite anticipated how quickly everything would progress (fully dilated after 2 hours)

[mumoftreasures]

It was my only pain relief with my three labours. It helped tremendously, as I realised when I accidently turned it off at one stage. Labour 1 used it for about 3 or 4 hours, then the pads started to irritate my skin. Labour 2 and 3 right till the end, from about 2 hours before. Started low and increased the stimulation as the contractions got intenser. Wasn't even on top level with labour2, but reached that with labour3.
Can definitely recommend it.

[lovecloud]

yorkiegirl - just read the messages and thank you very much for your kind offer but i have since ordered it to be on the safe side.

i remember loving the booster button so hopefully it will be of help again.

looks like there are alot of happy people on here.