Tens machine?

[MrsRudyRudpoo]

Hi all,
Im 35 weeks pregnant and after a very medicalised birth with my dd have been thinking about my pain relief options.
I'm considering hiring a Tens machine, has anyone got any recomendations where to get one from? Did you find it helped much?
Any advice gratefully received! Thanks

---

MNHQ Update
This is an old thread, but if you've landed here while on the hunt for similar recommendations, our guide to the best TENS machine has been recently updated. It includes a wide range of options – including devices you can hire as well as purchase – and has been compiled based on the recommendations of Mumsnetters as well as maternity experts. We hope it's helpful!

Got it from Boots. Book and pick up a couple of weeks in advance. Put it on very early in labour. With my first, I left it too late but with my second, I stuck it straight on and it worked quite well for the first part of labour. Still needed G and A, though.

Make sure it has a boost button. I used Elle TENs for both mine. Had pool+G&A for DS1 but TENs was all I had for DS2. DrSeuss is absolutely right - get it on at first twinge.

Also worth checking on ebay!

eBay had lots of second hand ones. Don't be put off, you just need new pads. Following the birth of child 1, DH had ago. He found it too much to bear! Bless! Didn't hurt me at all at the time, in fact it felt good.

Great thank you, definitely going to try this, fingers crossed it works for me!

MrsRudy, hope you don't mind me saying this but I think TENS are rubbish.

What annoys me slightly is that people are persuaded to spend money on this kind of stuff.

There will always be people who say TENS was great but if you distributed pink sugar pills and said this will help with labour pain, it would have the same effect- placebo is really powerful.

I tried it - didn't work but I am a cynic so probably didn'e 'believe' sufficiently. Probably had I spent ten minutes banging my head against a wall and then stopped, it would have had the same effect

There was a study that reviewed all the research on TENS and that found that it made no difference to pain scores which I read afterwards.

Sorry to sound off but I think people are being ripped off on a hole assortment of claptrap.

Oh FGS. This isn't bloody homeopathy. There is no "belief" involved. It either works for you, or it doesn't. Research is inconclusive. Anecdotally, I've heard mums who loved theirs, and mums who didn't.

If you want a pain free labour, get an epidural and deal with all the side effects and knock on consequences of that. TENS has no side effects, and neither does it initiate a cascade of intervention. Yes it'll cost you £30, and I suppose, it might not work (it will NEVER numb you completely and neither does it claim to).

TENS are still given to people who suffer with musculoskeletal pain. NHS Physiotherapists offer them to help with chronic pain.

Anecdotally, I've also met mums who hated G&A, Epidural, Pethdine, Caesarean as well as mums who swear by any or all of the above.

MrsRudy: Try it, there's no harm in it. For what it's worth, I'm a cynic and I loved mine. Used it as soon as my cx became painful, and stayed at home until 6cms dilated, in part due to the TENS machine helping me cope.

I would absolutely recommend a tens machine. I was induced with my ds (just the pessary not the drip) and he was back to back but I managed to get to 10cm dilated with just my tens machine so it gets a bit thumbs up from me.

All view points very much appreciated, I have found a website that does hire for £20 (Babytens.net, anyone used this site?) so if it doesnt work it's not the biggest waste of money. Had an epidural at dd's birth and found it a nightmare so willing to try anything to avoid that again!

A friend gave me hers before I had my first dc, I politely took it thinking it was hippy dippy clap trap. And then I went into labour I would have hurt anyone who tried to take from me! Was great at home and kept it on until just near the end - had gas too. With my second I used it again, had gas and pool, all good but buy extra pads, I forgot and it lost its stick after a while - oh and when I took it off to get in the pool dh went to put it away but didn't realise I hadn't switched it off then got it stuck to him and got zapped! Gave me and midwifes a laugh

I used babytens, brill service, it came with a boost button and for only 20 quid you can't go too far wrong! They send an envelope so in the post birth haze you just have to get someone to take it to the post office for you. Worth it's weight in gold IMO. Hth

I got Femme tens from Babycare tens website... at the moment it's on sale at half price, which is almost the same cost as hiring it anyway. I've since loaned it out a bit so you may find you get extra use out of it too. (mind you not everyone who's borrowed it has found it did much, but I always think it's worth having low-key pain relief options on hand).

I found labour much more painful than I was expecting (hm, dunno why I thought it wouldn't be that bad ..nct optimism praps!) but the tens maching definitely helped. I wouldn't say it vastly reduced the pain but it did help to block and manage it a bit and I used it right from the early contractions until I finally got an epidural 20 hours later, by which time I had the tens on total max!!

At one point I got into the bath and that did nothing for me at all, and meant I couldn't use the tens machine, so I quickly got back out and stuck the pads back on!

One technique we'd learnt at NCT was for partner to press hard on my lower back during contractions, which alleviated some of the pain. I'd say tens had a very similar effect to that, in a more "being mildly electrocuted" kind of way

I haven't used one so I don't know if they're any use, but I saw online that one of my fave online baby shops hires them out :)

Precious Little One

MamaTENS were good - I was 11 days overdue and in hospital for 5 days after that so it went back late but they were so lovely and didn't charge me.

Mamatens

I used obi-tens with dd2, didn't really help with relieving agonising pain during contractions, but I must say the labour and delivery was quick

I bought rather than hired, so can't advise on that. However, I'd definitely say it's worth a go. I was somewhat cynical - I'd read the research summaries which said it only helped with early labour pain, and I'd heard of lots of people who were just irritated by them. However, I was having a homebirth, and not having a pool, so having another option other than g&a seemed sensible, and DH was v keen after seeing one at antenatal classes. I used mine in combination with walking around and concentrating on my breathing. When the midwives arrived, they didn't think I was in labour - I was too calm and they didn't think the contractions were strong enough. However, they checked me, and I was 6-7cm. I think the TENS machine must have been helping, as when the pain was getting worse, my DH would remind me to turn it up, and that seemed to help. It also sometimes turned out that the pads had come off, and when he stuck them back on, the pain seemed to lessen. I did use the g&a as well eventually, but was probably close to fully dilated by the time I did. I am well aware I was very fortunate, and this certainly isn't everyone's experience of using TENS, but I'd give it a try in case it's yours!

Hired mine from Boots both times. Seemed to offer a good service.

Gave birth to both my babies with no pain relief other than TENS. I think they're great!

BUT - TENS machines do NOT take away the pain they just add another sensation, which acts as a sort of distraction.

Give it a try, it might suit you.

Best wishes.

Our maternity unit rents them out so check with your local hospital. I had mine on from first twinges until 7cm (about 18 hours) and i got in the pool. Thought it was fab, as a distraction and something to focus on if nothing else.

Hired mine from Boots but a friend purchased hers from eBay and then sold it on afterwards for the same amount. Mine was a wonderful distraction, by having something to press each time and something to focus on helped me through each contraction. I'd recommend trying one, if it's not for you then no harm done trying it out.

Hired from Boots, the one they offer seems the most popular model, was simple to use. Our NHS ante-natal class offered them for hire too.

I really rated mine. Got it on early, turned up as went along, kept on til the end. Got to fully dilated at home (didn't mean to) then added g+a in hospital. The combination worked well.

Cannot say what experience without would have been of course but at the very lest it was an effective distraction. I think it worked - sending counter-pain 'dampening' signals back to pain receptors. My feeling is that I would have been in more pain and much more stressed without it.

The secret to using a TENS machine is to put it on ASAP. Once you are in a lot of pain it is less effective best applying in latent phase. It works by blocking pain signals to your brain.
DC 1 - put in on at 2100hrs after waters breakin, had mild backache. Taken to delivery suite 1000hrs next day 4cm, pain had not increased in that time
DC 2 - woke up with D+V 0630hrs, went for bath then back to bed, woke 1030 with mild back ache, put TENS on, back to sleep til 1330, felt 1st contraction. Midwife came out 1630, contractions 1:5, lasting 30secs was 7cm! (Only phoned her as hubby was insisting I get in car) Think TENS was blocking start and end of contractions.
Would recommend to anyone but don't expect mat unit to provide them.
Also great for inductions for all the niggly pains from Propess or gel

Just wanted to add that our local Tesco Extra's pharmacy hires them out too!

I have chronic back pain from kyphoscoliosis and a TENS machine was recommended by my pain management consultant and my physio. I tried it, but it was very painful for me, but then I have some nerve damage anyway.

You just won't know if it helps you until you try it!

I was very sceptical about TENS but I suddenly realised about 6 hrs in how much it HAD been working when my pain suddenly became unbearable & we realised my pads had rucked up. Got it sorted quickly & it brought it down enough to cope with whilst not dullling it entirely.

Ushy not sure what research you read but in pain relief teams it's used a lot not just in labour. Doesn't work for all but then neither does Gas & Air or epidurals for some, we all metabolise drugs differently & respond to electrical blockers differently so to say one method is worse than another is a bit of a sweeping statement.

I'd have swung from the ceiling upside down in a hammock if it had given me pain relief, as it was G&A made me throw up & I didn't want epidural so kept going with whatever I could get!

Each to his/her own I say, whatever gets you through the process with a healthy baby & intact perineum if poss!

As an aside, personally I don't see what's wrong with the placebo effect anyway. If it reduces how much pain somebody perceives they are feeling, then it's helped. What's wrong with that?