Do I crack out the tens? Am I in labour?

[F1rstT1meMummy]

Hi everyone
I am overdue - was due Saturday.
Been having period type ache all morning (also had it on and off all yesterday), and had a sweep today at midday - she reuptured the membrane(?) I think and said I was 1-2 cm dialated (which I know can be the case for weeks!)
I have been getting one off sharp pains (also had some of these yesterday) maybe two an hour, but they have slowed down, but I still have that bad due on feeling!
So my questions is.... do I start the tens machine now (is this actually early labour?!), as I know you need to start it early, or am I just being a wimp!?!
Cheers
xxx

[SelinaDoula]

My advice would be to go to bed and sleep while you can. Only get up if you really cant sleep and put tens on when contractions are mild but regular (every 20/15/10 mins etc).
S x

[lia66]

hi there,

I think it's highly unlikely she ruptured your membranes, you would be losing fluid and there would have been a gush at the time. Mw wouldn't have been allowed to do this at a mw check, if it was accidental, I think you would know.

agree with above poster, go to sleep for now. You'll need energy for later and it could be a while yet.

good luck. :)

[F1rstT1meMummy]

Thanks both - it was the plug/show thing!
Anyway - nothing yet just mild period pain :0
Thanks for your advice

[NorthLondonDoulas]

Hiya,

If you think you might me in early labour walk around.... generally in labour the more you walk the more your contractions regulate. I would wait until you think you are definitly in labour before putting on the tense machine, as they can eat through the batteries quite quickly and the last thing you want would be to use the batteries now and not have enough when you really need it.

Once you feel you are in labour though, do put on the machine as soon as you are able to, as they are far more effective the earlier you start to use them. Lots of women try to manage for as long as they can before using any form of pain relief (which often can be a good thing) but with a tense they generally then find it ineffective if they do this. The electrical impulses are turned up as your contrations intensify and it is important that your body gets used to these impulses gradually.

Good luck.x

[Purplebuns]

Hi, you need to put on your tens fairly early as it has an accumulative effect for it work properly.
However, go and rest as you have no idea how long you will be in labour for, it could be days, from now as you are probably only in the latent phase. Best of luck :o