Gym balls, TENs machine etc

[Emma321q]

Hi all

I am now 30 weeks pregnant and I am starting to try to make some decisions about the run up to the birth. Are/ have any of you used either a gym ball or tens machine and would you recommend them?

[BreeVDKamp]

I barely got off my gym ball after induction, other than to walk around the hospital. Took about 6 painless hours to get to 2 cm, then 2cm-delivery in 40 mins. So I definitely recommend one, and mobilising in general! Great for getting the baby in the right position in the weeks before labour too.

Didn't get chance to use my TENS machine but I hired one from Boots, good service. Think you have to put it on at the optimal time for it to work its best. I definitely believe it would have been good or at least a good distraction!

[LittleMiss77]

The MLU i was at offered me thenuse of a TENS machine and initially i was quite sceptical.

I thought it was brilliant - especially the boost function for when the contractions hit their peak.

I would recommend if you can, hiring/borrowing one for use at home when the contractions start.

[Emma321q]

Thanks to both of you. Will definitely put some more time into researching the tens machine. At what point did you all start using the ball?

[BreeVDKamp]

From about 25 weeks probably, as it was nice for easing aches and pains at that stage rather than positioning baby.

[AmberLav]

I bought a TENS from Amazon, as I was hoping to have three kids, so figured it'd get use - actually they are not that expensive, so glad I did that. I love my TENS in labour, I have only taken it off to get in the pool.

If you buy your own one, you have to buy new pads each time, as the stickiness wears off, but I wore it for about 40 hours in my first labour, and it was still fairly sticky by the end! Only a 2 hour labour second time, and I'll see this time... still not even tried gas and air, as just not needed to... think mine is an Elle...?