Talk to me about TENS

[bumperlicious]

To buy or not to buy? I know it is cheaper to hire, but not always a lot in it so wondering whether I should buy one and then sell it afterwards? At least I can have it for a long as I want and won't have to worry about sending it back.

Also, are they much of a muchness? Any recommendations?

[kittylette]

Is it your first baby?

only I rented a tens for my first birth and by the time i went into labour and was examined it was too late to use the tens (too far gone) and got in the birth pool instead.

It only works early on in lbour, so as soon as you get any pains, anytime you should put it on.

I'd rent as it about £30 in boots and its not too much of a waste if you dont get round to using it

[NAB3]

I hired one the first time but didn't get chance to use it as I had an emergency section early. The second time I bought one from Mothercare but it didn't come with a boost button so I couldn't go above 2. The third time I bought one from Bumpto3 and it wa a proper labour one and was fantastic. I sold both on afterwards.
You need to put it on as soon as the contractions start and leave it on for at least 45 minutes before removing it if you want a shower. It takes that long for the endorphins to kick in.

[NappiesGalore]

i loved the tens machine.i borrowed one at the birth centre first time. and was about 7cm dilated before i took it off to get in pool. didnt need any other pain relief which was a surprise to me.

i bought one for second time, from blooming marvellous i think, but it wasnt a maternity one . which is utterly pointless. it needs to be a maternity one and have the 'boost' button which you press as soon as a contraction starts and thenagain when its abating so you rest in between.
as long as its a propermaternity one (they make them for general back pain too), they are indeed much of a muchness i reckon.

if you will sell on, then buying fine if you want to just have it and not think about it. if you hire, they are usually pretty flexible and give it to you for ages, so a nice somple option.
either way, practice in advance of labour. complicated instructions are not going to be welcome at the time, trust me.,

[Swizzler]

I hired one for about 20 quid and it worked well - in fact was only pain relief I used (tho would agree not a huge amount of use in later labour - I just didn't have the chance to try anything else ). I think I got mine from TENS Hire - no extra charge if you needed to keep it for longer than 3 weeks as long as you told them. Boots and Mothercare were far more expensive.

[foxybrown]

Hi Bumper.

Mine was good for my first, annoying for my second, didn't have one for my third, and am thinking I'll get one this time round.

If you are wanting to relax in water, it might be bit annoying taking it on and off (pads are really sticky). My birthing partner switched it to max instead of off (and I'll NEVER forget the pain!).

H&A on the June thread was sent a 50% off voucher from Boots Health club when she signed up (so I've signed up too, but yet to get one) so it would be well worth hiring one for £15.

I think I've hired them from M'care and Boots and although I've really ummed and ahhed about it this time I think I'm going to get one just to have another drug-free option.

If you go over, you just phone them and tell them. And they send it in a returnable box so its very easy.

[charlie999]

My mw suggested buying one from e-bay which I have done - no more expensive than hiring one - and got a maternity one with larger pads and a boost button. Have also bought the smaller pads so I can use it afterwards for general muscle aches & pains (I suffer with my shoulder and lower back sometimes and TENS should help). There is a multitude of stuff on e-bay...

[amidaiwish]

i hired one from Boots with first birth and found it useless as there were different levels A,B,C and then 1-10 within each level. I didn't move up quick enough so it didn't really keep up with the pain and i ended up throwing it across the room.

second time i hired this one here and found it brilliant. i only took it off to push the baby out.

you must make sure it is a maternity one with a "boost" function and i would also go for a simple dial, rather than electronic/digital levels which you won't be in the right frame of mind to work out.

[Klaw]

Yes, you must make sure that whichever one you hire/buy is an Obstetric TENS.

You put it on at the very first twinge so that your hormones start to get working, making sure that you turn dial up so that you can feel the buzz/tingling and then turn it down till you can just barely feel it...... throughout labour turn it up when you lose that sensation, get it back to where you can just barely feel it. If the tingling is annoying you then you've got it turned up too high.

When you hit the boost button, don't forget to turn it off again at the end of contraction (and this is where you can prime your BP to remind you)

I swear by these things!!!!

[TheBlonde]

I hired from Boots both times
Definitely put it on early on in labour

[Dior]

Message withdrawn

[Pannacotta]

I bought mine for about £20 from ebay (with the Boost etc) and used it for both births and found it helped, though not as much as the water/pool for DS2.
The Boost button def needed....

[Tatat]

Hired mine from boots, worked really well and would recommend service. Can extend hire for no extra charge if you are overdue too.
Agree with others, re: early start- put mine on as soon as I got even a tiny twinge and it really helped. However, my labour was quite quick and I never got round to getting out of the first level (there were three) as I didn't want to "use it up" iykwim, so it could have been even more effective but I didn't give it the chance.

[RedKennedy]

I'll talk to you - i have had one strapped to my back since 2am Monday morning and by jove, I dont know what I would be doing without it. Would recommend you get more than one set of sticky things and also some tape as the only annoying thing is the pads coming off. Its helping me a great deal - a very good £20 spent.