Did you find a TENS machine helped in labour?

[Dinnerfor1]

I'm due to have baby any time soon, and I've discovered that TENS machines aren't too expensive in my local chemist.

Did anyone use them to help with labour pains, and did you find them useful? Did it help deal with the pain? I'm trying to decide whether it's worth buying one!

What is the difference between a maternity tens and a regular tens machine? I'm v close to my due date so I'm definitely not going to have time to hire one. I think the ones I've seen in the chemist for sale are probably just regular tens machines.

Definitely get a maternity TENS, they have a boost button which was great. I think I went through 3sets of electrodes. They lose there stickiness and effectiveness after a few hours.

Definitely. With my first labour I had a looong early back to back labour and it got me to around 7cm on that alone before I got gas and air.

My second labour was quicker but the mw's didn't srrive until I was pushing so the tens machine got me to 10cm b

Utterly bloody loved mine. Some people hate them and I can totally see why. It's irritating and distracting but I think that's why I liked it. Pushed a nearly 9lb baby with a head about the 94th percentile out with nothing but a TENS machine and a couple of paracetamol. It was ace.

I borrowed an Elle tens machine - it gave me something else to think about, buttons to press during contractions - didn't go to hospital til 7cm dilated and birthed dd about 90 mins later; having thrown up paracetamol and not entirely sure the gas and air was working!
I recommend giving it a go.

I rented one from Lloyds. Never actually used it in labour so I can't help. But I'd rent one again, just in case.

I used one with all 3 births and I would recommend one, but I haven't laboured without one so I can't compare. Earlyish on it gives you something to distract you. Later on, even at the max setting I couldn't even feel it over the contractions.

No, did nothing for me but have friends who thought they were great.
Just make sure you're buying a proper maternity one - some of the cheaper models on sale are for back problems etc and haven't got the contraction boost button etc.

My sister really rated using one but I think getting someone to kick me every now and again would have done the same thing. It was just distraction from the main pain, with a small amount of other pain!

So many use it that there must be something in it though. Just don't pin your hopes on it!!

I hired mine from my local Boots. Helped immensely in both births. Though midwife at second birth kept commenting that she couldn't understand how it was helping as she never liked them.

Agree with putting it on from the very outset of labour. The stage where it (and everything else) starts to irritate you is normally transition. Some people take it off. I realised I was still buzzing when everything was finished.

Loved mine too. Put it on as soon as contractions became worse than mild period pain. Eventually took it off to have a bath and felt completely out of control. (Although think that was transition, not sure).

Have bought one this time. Going to leave it on as long as poss.

It's a bit like having an elastic band round your wrist to snap and distract you from something, but better.

I hired mine from boots. I think it helped but I used it for both mine and don't have an experience of a labour without so can't say for sure it helped. However it gave me something else to focus on and that helped.

I used one but can't honestly say if it helped or not. I took it off at 3cm to get into a bath and didn't put it on again! I'm currently expecting DC2 and can't decided if I'll hire one again. I hired from Boots too.