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Childbirth

Share experiences and get support around labour, birth and recovery.

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Original poster

Tens Machine - whose used one?!

38 replies

angelfaces · 30/08/2006 17:25

Im 38 weeks pregnant and i'm thinking of hiring or buying a tens machine, any recommendations, advice or comments on experiences before i do?

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TuttiFrutti · 30/08/2006 18:59

I found it a waste of time - it did nothing at all for me, and it was annoying to cart around a heavy machine and have wires strapped to my back when I was trying to keep as mobile as possible in early stage labour. I felt much better once I'd taken it off.

Having said that, plenty of people on here think they are great. So I would say definitely hire one, and then try it out when your labour starts and keep an open mind.

Whizzz · 30/08/2006 19:09

I hired one - I think helped in the early stages but only because by pushing abutton, you felt like you were doing something & in control if you see what I mean !

HonorMatopoeia · 30/08/2006 19:12

I totally agree with Whizz, my labour was quite complex in the end but it helped for the first few hours. Hire (or borrow) not buy though.

2labs · 30/08/2006 19:18

I bought one second-hand on MN (was cheaper than it would have been to hire it) and used it four weeks ago giving birth to my ds - I did find it helped a fair bit in the early stages, though the contractions increased so quickly (5 hours from first twinge to hello ds) that I'm not sure when it stopped making a difference. By the time we were driving to the hospital very fast I'd forgotten I was wearing it turned up to the max, though.

Sunnysideup · 30/08/2006 19:28

I wasn't keen on using TENS, but I did, and it was very useful in the early stages of labour; i'd say go for it.

It's a good indication for how things are progressing too, as you turn it up and up as you need to 'cover' the pain of the contractions and eventually when it stops even being noticeable you know your contractions are - er, rather bad!

LadyTophamHatt · 30/08/2006 19:30

I used one for ds2+3 and thought it was FAB.
Both were fast labours so it was the only pain relief I used.

Will be using one again in January

Seona1973 · 30/08/2006 19:33

I used one in my last labour and have hired one for this one as well. I used the New Road Clinic last time and it was quite cheap. I didnt know they had started hiring online as I would have used them again as they are only £18.50 for 6 weeks hire (excludes postage):

New Road Clinic

I have used a different company this time which is £23.95 for 6 weeks hire (includes postage)

Tens Hire

maewest · 30/08/2006 19:36

Just used one a month ago (first baby) was my only pain relief, unless you count a bath and mooing Think the one I had was hired from MamaTens, and was v small, hung on cord round my neck. Only thing was last prog was too complicated and couldn't work it out (but by that time I was pushing). Also labour was about 8 hrs established, but pains (wearing TENS) for about 12 hrs before that.

Roobie · 30/08/2006 19:44

I found it very effective - so much so that I didn't realise how far along I really was and ended up giving birth at home!

sarahlou1uk · 30/08/2006 19:54

Used one for ds birth - very helpful
Used one for dd birth (incidentally, for sale on sale page!!) - didn't help as labour was so quick

beckyndanuk · 30/08/2006 19:56

Used one with both births, very affective with 2nd but stopped working as wire came loose at 9cm!!!!

peanutbutter · 30/08/2006 20:01

i used one, it may have helped for a few hours but it's difficult to know for sure.

By the end, dh was cranking up the "boost" button when my contractions were peaking and i felt like i was being simultaneously stabbed by thousands of Lilliputian men with little spears - i eventually managed to spit the gas&air nozzle out and bellow "turn that effing thing off !!!!!!!!!!!"

LIZS · 30/08/2006 20:02

Had one on hire from Boots 1st time , used it from early labour until it fell off and I was past noticing. 2nd time hired from Naturesgate but didn't use it as labour didn't progress in the same way and kind of missed the window to put it on.

xoxoxo · 30/08/2006 20:31

HI
I used one but found it ineffective. Then got epidural and thought I had died and gone to heaven. Guess I am not as strong as I thought I was!

lucy5 · 30/08/2006 20:43

I hired one from boots and it was a good distraction in the early stages. unfortunately I was induced so when the real labour started, I ripped the blasted thing off.

Wordsmith · 30/08/2006 20:44

If you want to hire one you'd better get in fast - when I hired one from Boots you had to book in advance and hire it for 4 weeks (2 weeks either side of your edd). And, yes, I found it very effective, use it from the very first contraction and it helps stimulate endorphins, the body's natural painkiller. Mind you by the end it's turned up to warp factor 5 and you're still screaming for and epidural! But it made the first few hours very bearable.

Cappuccino · 30/08/2006 20:45

i used one and it was ace

but you have to put in on as soon as you can; when the contractions start

BettySpaghetti · 30/08/2006 20:47

I hired one for both DD and DS (from Boots) -both times I just used the TENS machine and gas & air and had quick labours. In fact both times the midwives were shocked at how quickly I had progressed -I was dilated and ready to push way before they anticipated.

I agree that its a good distraction, especially in early labour -but a word of advice , don't let your DP/DH be in charge of the on/off switch as mine was turning it off when it should be on and vice-versa(numpty!).

I would certainly use one again

Kidstrack · 30/08/2006 20:48

a woman in my last antenatal class bought one and went through her 12 hour labour using only that(tens machine) and a bit of gas and air when being stitched, her husband rigged it all up for her and she said she did feel a bit better when all the pads were on etc, turned out her husband hadn't switched it on and she had done all the labouring without it! Brave woman! Midwife explained its all mind power over matter, she obviously beleived the pain was much less than it really was!

CountTo10 · 30/08/2006 20:49

I used one and it was good but I didn't start it early enough so couldn't get the full effect!! One word of warning - turn it off before you get dp/dh to try and move your patches as I didn't and he got a massive shock!!!! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!! Well it gave me a laugh and took my mind of labour for a bit!!!!

kama · 30/08/2006 20:52

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

magicfarawaytree · 30/08/2006 20:54

ripped the one off the hopital loaned me during first labour. Absoulutely did my head in. My contractions were not regular and it was therefore not very easy to use. I have heard other people swear by them, apparently if you are not sure it is working and you try turning it off you will know how effective it is!

100Vicki · 31/08/2006 12:44

I used one when in labour with ds and I have to agree with "magicfarawaytree" that it really irritated me! Looking back though, I'm not sure if I had it on correctly. I'm now pg again and on other people's recommendations I'm going to try a TENS machine again. The cheapest place you can hire them from is www.newroadclinic.co.uk I think they're just £18 and you get them for 6 weeks (3weeks either side of your EDD).

stevie74 · 31/08/2006 13:03

I used one with my 1st & found it amazing, really took the edge off the pain, plus it gave me something else to concentrate on when the pain peaked. I hired it from the hospital, can't remember the exact cost but it was cheap.
I wanted to use one again for my 2nd, but the hospital didnt supply them and the waiting list was huge for my local Boots, not that I would of been able to use it as I went from 0-10cm's in 40 minutes Keep the births close together ladies & they're quicker!!

arfishymeau · 31/08/2006 13:04

Hated mine. I kept pressing the 'boost' button in the hope that it would do something with the pain, and it never did.

Next time I'm going to take arnica and get to the hospital for the epidural much earlier.

I wouldn't mind so much, but I did the TENS talk at our NCT classes. I know everything about the bloody thing and had to lecture everybody else on it.

In its defence though, I had been in labour about 12 hours before it went on (DP asleep ) so maybe I didn't give it a chance.

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