TENS question

[firsttimer78]

At what point do you get strapped up to a TENS machine? The one I've got doesn't give much guidance in the instructions but I thought the midwife said I should start using it before contractions really get established. Any thoughts?

As soon as you realise you are actually in labour.

They work by building up endorphins (and other things), therefore not effective if you use too late.

With my first, I didn't put it on until I was in hospital - so I reckon I was around 5cm by the time it went on. With ds, the labour was much longer and more painful (he was back to back). I had contractions from the Friday night and he was born on the Tuesday morning. The TENS machine was on from the Sunday night.

I found lots of warm baths helped both times and obviously you can't have the TENS on in water so I only started using it when I needed something "more" than the water iyswim ?

I put it on when they got too much to ignore, then had to take it off when they got really painful because the sensation was annoying me.

I should add that by the time they were so painfull I took it off, I went into hospital and was already 7cm dilated so I think the TENS machine was a real help in getting me that far.

Thanks ladies. Just had a comedy few minutes - DH decided way to test it was working was to hold end of leads as I pressed 'boost' button...he didn't tell me to press and release tho so I held it down and he ended up leaping around the room!

firsttimer78 i had many such incidents like that,but unfortunately i was at the receiving end, and to top it off, i was in hospital at the time so the nurses kept coming over worried about what was going on when i
they heard my screaming so much!( i should add i was on day assessment units/postnatal units for a very long induction while this was going on, obviously if i was on labour ward the screams would not have elicited any such response..) we decided after a few attempts that DH was not in charge of the controls any more....

put it on as soon as you get contractions. in fact even if they turn out to be braxton hicks TENS are good for managing these too. if you wait too long then the TENS is less effective. i had mine on for 3 1/2 days during my long induction and slightly panicked every time i had to take it off for a bath as i knew as soon as i was out of the water i would feel the pain until the machine was on again. so for me, it was very effective pain relief.

good idea to take spare batteries too as if you need it for this long you will need them.

Thanks Muslimah28, they're definitely contractions now and I am firmly in charge of the TENS controls!!