Tens machines? I thought this would be simple.

[ChineapplePunk]

Just looking at Tens machines online. Flipping heck! There is A LOT of choice. Are there specific models which are better than others? Or are they all basically the same? Did you buy or hire? Any advice would be appreciated. Cheers. :)

fuck fuck fuck! You have just reminded me I need one (37+2)!!!

Erm, thank you.... off to do research now too and hire one sharpish!

I hired mine from my local NCT group. Glad I didn't buy one as I didn't like it but you don't really know that until you are in labour

You need one specifically for labour - I used Elle TENS and liked it. It needs to have a boost button so you get a extra surge during contractions.

I preferred to buy rather than hire so I could get it early and have it for as long as I wanted. You could buy 2nd hand on eBay and probably sell for more or less the same price. It's worth buying some extra electrode pads in case you have a long labour.

Make sure you put it on at the very first sign of any contractions and persevere with it - I thought mine was doing nothing until the MW knocked it off and I couldn't believe the difference without it.

I had an Elle Tens too. Twas brill.

I bought mine, but lent it out to two friends and then sold it for a good price on ebay so was happy that it was pretty cost effective.

I used an ancient old one loaned from my midwife for DD1's birth, and a second-hand Lloyd's Pharmacy one from eBay for DD2. The Lloyd's Pharmacy one is one of the cheapest even if you buy it new (remember to buy new pads if buying second hand). They were both brilliant. I really can't see the point of the expensive ones. All you need is a dial, and a boost button, and all the ones suitable for childbirth have that. Some of them look more funky and cost more ££s.

If you search the archives on here there are loads of recommendations for places you can hire them (eg Boots).

TENS are like paracetomol - you can buy them from a supermarket for next to nowt, or you can buy a "name" for a lot more - they will do the same job. The only additional thing I can say is that some (eg Boots) use specific electrodes, which occasionally can be expensive and/or difficult to source, so maybe worth investigating that side of things. HTH :)

Cheers folks. Good advice all round. I'll get on it straight away. Think I'll buy one and then pass or sell it on. :)

If you are going to use more than once (ie second baby) then it's cheaper to buy. I've leant mine to 2 friends, and am due to use again myself. Ut's easy to buy new electrode pads

Yeah I bought mine I've got the obi tens by baby care cos it was cheap. Have used it once myself and my sister in law used it. We both thought it was good. The replacement pads are not expensive for it either and its really tiny and hangs round your neck unlike some I have seen. Gonna use it for the second baby due in aug.

Second the Elle TENS - best £30 I ever spent renting it!