Skip to main content
Skip to main navigation
Skip to talk navigation

Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Saved Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Flip

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

1 2 3 4 5

Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.

Childbirth

Tens Machine- do they work?

101 replies

GuybrushThreepwoodMP · 31/03/2014 19:37

My first labour was LONG and very hard. Baby wasn't back to back but all the pain was in my back and never felt contractions in my tummy (retroverted uterus). So while labour number two might be different, it's likely the pain would be in my back again and I would expect it to be show (labour number one consisted of regular contractions for 72 hours, no sleep for that long and agonising unbearable pain).
Should I try a TENS next time?

OP posts:

Report

TheScience · 31/03/2014 19:44

Yes, no harm in trying. I think it helped.

Blu · 31/03/2014 19:48

I am sure it worked for me.

I started using it early - you have to give it time to get your endorphins going, so I started using it from early contractions, and kept it on until I got in the pool. Didn't use G&A at all.

Blu · 31/03/2014 19:50

Sorry - that was for first baby, back-to-back.

After the pool, and 3 hours of pushing, we did resort to ventouse and an epidural for that - but I was absolutely fine pain-wise until then and high as a kite on endorphins!

NoodieRoodie · 31/03/2014 19:52

I loved mine!! First labour was about 30 hours, pain all in my back, and the only pain relief I had was the TENS. Second time was a homebirth, only 9 hours start to finish and again just used the TENS.

I agree with Blu that you need to get it on early, both times I put mine on when I wasn't even totally convinced that I was actually in labour.

Some people hate them but I think that anything's worth a go

CheesyBadger · 31/03/2014 19:53

Loved mine, and I think it worked. Also gave me something else to think about, button to press etc

magicalmrmistoffelees · 31/03/2014 19:58

My labour was 48 hours of very regular contractions (every 3 minutes!) and all my pains were in my back. I used a TENS machine throughout, I'm not sure it helped massively with the pain but I found it was a good distraction, and certainly helped me to cope with the contractions better. Definitely worth a try!

magicalmrmistoffelees · 31/03/2014 19:59

Ps the TENS machine was the only pain relief I had

Letsgoforawalk · 31/03/2014 20:01

I found one helpful with my second. DH helped me take it off before I got in the bath, neither of us realised how high I had it turned (you stop feeling the tingle) and didn't switch it off before he peeled off the sticky pads. He nearly went through the roof. Funniest bit of the whole night. Worth the hire fee just for that.

OrangeMochaFrappucino · 31/03/2014 20:02

Any recommendations on which TENS and where to hire? I can't remember which one I used last time but definitely appreciated it - the only thing I would say is that I moved around a lot and the pads kept falling off so the midwife taped them on for me until I went in the pool.

EeyoreIsh · 31/03/2014 20:05

I loved it. Fantastic. Much better than gas and air.

EeyoreIsh · 31/03/2014 20:06

I loved it. Fantastic. Much better than gas and air.

EeyoreIsh · 31/03/2014 20:07

I loved it. Fantastic. Much better than gas and air.

EeyoreIsh · 31/03/2014 20:09

loved it so much I said it three times

EeyoreIsh · 31/03/2014 20:10

loved it so much I said it three times

Whiteshoes · 31/03/2014 20:20

Just get themidwife to check positioning ofpads. Still bitter 7 months after dc2, during birth of whom I couldn't work out why tens wasn't working as itdid with dc1. When I took pads off after birth midwife said "that's an interesting place to put them". Cue evils at dh. It was so so much more painful.

Still, serves as some sort of proof of efficacy, I suppose.

Thesebootsweremadeforwalking · 31/03/2014 20:29

Love TENS machines! Kept me going until I got into hospital and on pethidine after loooong latent (but bloody painful) phase with back to back DS. One got me to 7 cms with DD, and then to the end with only a bit of gas and air. Have also used them for back pain following a car accident some years ago, with good effect. I have a MamaTENS - I bought one in case my back injury flared following DC2.

CatsCantFlyFast · 31/03/2014 20:33

I hired a MamaTens. Got me up to 7cm with contractions consistently 45 seconds apart. Didn't want to take it off (I too was skeptical beforehand and when I initially put it on but couldn't recommend enough)

beginnings · 31/03/2014 22:49

I'm another one who found it a good distraction rather than pain relief. Just don't let your OH near the controls. He's lucky he had the ability to have a second child!!

By the way, I also have a retroverted uterus and with DD1 all the pain was in my belly and with DD2 was weirdly in the tops of my legs, so you mightn't have the back labour again.

I also had a Mama Tens

SicknSpan · 03/04/2014 09:08

Yes mine was worth i twice before. So I will be using again for dc3 in a few weeks time hopefully.

ShowMeTheCoffee · 03/04/2014 09:17

Yes, used it all three times until I got in the pool. With DC1 it got me to 10cms.

I also used a Mama Tens.

Have a read of the info booklet first so your DP places the pads in the right spot. As a pp said, makes a world of difference.

fuckwitteryhasform · 03/04/2014 09:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

anotherbitofcake · 03/04/2014 12:17

Yes helped me def

Don’t want to miss threads like this?

Weekly

Sign up to our weekly round up and get all the best threads sent straight to your inbox!

Email address

Log in to update your newsletter preferences.

You've subscribed!

Dovahkiin · 03/04/2014 13:03

Yay! I had mine on until the actual delivery. I turned it off about five hours into labour 'just to see' if it was having any effect and nearly fell off my gym ball with the pain. I'd say it reduced the pain by 2/3 and meant I didn't need any drugs. Worked for me.

oscarwilde · 03/04/2014 13:16

I couldn't say. DH stuck the pads on, ramped it straight up to "boost" and hit the button........ I was found in the next room and never got on with it after that.
bloody NCT woman had trialled it on the interested DH's with sod all power and worn out pads so he thought it was a total gimmick

Dontfencemein · 03/04/2014 13:16

My first labour was pretty fast - went to 7cm in about 4 hours.

Unfortunately things went a bit wrong a few hours into the second stage and I had to have an emergency C-section. I used TENS from the start of labour until I was in theatre and found it great, so much so that I kept it on rather than getting in the birthing pool. I found it so comforting that I did not want to take it off.

DH who was birthing partner took control of the machine (giving boosts when I had contractions) and I think this really helped to give him something to focus on. Much better that he had a task rather than just being expected to be "suportive".

I would use it again without hesitation, although if I am lucky enough to have another baby, might use pool for a while and put TENS on again afterwards.

I think it helps to start using it really early, to get the endorphins going before pain is established.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.