TENS machine yay or nay?

[MissPollyHadADolly19]

After a terrible first birth which was far from the ideal labour I wanted, I am looking into a TENS machine this time round.
Would anyone with experience be able to shed some light on the pros and cons of using one and if it would be something you'd recommend?

I used one and found it useful, so worth a try. I can’t think of any cons in using one, unless you are planning a water birth of course! I used tens with both of my labours and didn’t need any further pain relief, but labour is different for everyone. Good luck OP.

I would 100% recommend. It was a total life saver for me.

Downside is a sore back for about a week after from having it ramped up full whack exp hours.

I would definitely recommend. I used TENS for both of mine and was induced each time. I did end up with epidural for one but used TENS for entire early stages in both

Pros:

• You can control intensity and how you use it. Being able to focus on that button was helpful!
• It genuinely helped me with the pain. It doesn't take it away, it's almost like it distracts your brain and so you don't feel it quite as intensely!
• Kept me calmer and more focused on breathing etc.
• No lasting effects, can take it off if it's not working for you

Cons:
You can't use it if you want a water birth
I think they only work up to a certain point, if your contractions become extremely painful then you may need something stronger

It's very subjective, I had a friend who thought they were useless and couldn't get to grips with them at all! I found the TENS machine I had to be brilliant.

Hope that helps & hope this time around things are better for you!

Thanks for all the replies, really helpful!
I'm hoping for quite an active labour as last time baby was back to back and I had an epidural far too soon which I think dragged out the last stage, so the idea of being able to avoid it (hopefully altogether) would be fab!

I found it helped a lot too, up to a pretty late point in the labour. Definitely worth it ime.

Like others have said, it worked really well for me in early labour - where other than paracetamol it is pretty much your only option anyway. If you buy 2nd had it costs about the same as hiring and you can obviously resell afterwards.

I did the whole of the first stage at home with a tens machine. They are really good.

I would 100% recommend it. I used mine until I was 6cm dilated then i had abit of gas and air with it. Best thing ever!

I loved it. BUT you can’t have it on during monitoring, and the effect is cumulative. So when they make you turn it off you go back to the beginning.

It was the only pain relief I used until I was pushing.

Yay! Used fir both of mine (50 million years ago). First in a British hospital and second in a US hospital where the Ob-Gyn had never seen one in use before and was amazed. It does (or did) need careful placing. And I’m still not sure whethe rhalf the effect was down to me having something else to do! But it seemed to do the trick

I used one with DC2 many years ago. It was a good distraction as much as anything else, I spent lots of time fiddling with the controls for something to do. Towards the end of my labour I demanded DH take it off me & sucked on the gas & air as if my life depended on it instead.

I really don't think there are any cons? I found mine incredibly helpful and even though I was being induced and my contractions were super painful, the TENS helped me get to 3cms dilated quite calmly.

@MoreSlidingDoors what sort of monitoring was that? I had DC3 4 days ago and it was fine having my TENS on all the time despite being on continuous monitoring.

Where they strap that bloody trace to you. They said the TENS would stop it reading accurately. (Was 9 years ago)

Well, I just got one. Tried out last night and i thrre my back out! How ironic.
I think I had the setting up too night when I first tried the boost, it gave me a fright and jerked my back.

@TinyTickler that's interesting you mention a sore back afterwards. But I dont understand because TENS are also used for treating back pain.

I LOVE the tens machine, so so much. It was my absolute favourite pain relief with both births. I took the TENS off at about 6cm during my first labour to get in to the water bath and wished I hadn't. Even the pethidine I had after that wasn't as good.

With my second labour I sacked off the idea of a water birth and stuck with the TENS at home for as long as I could. Got to hospital and was 9cm dilated - honestly couldn't believe it.

Best bits:
I found it sort of interrupted and diffused the pain, which made it more tolerable

The various settings, strengths of vibration and boost button give a sense of control, which made a massive difference for me

Doesn't make you drowsy like the drugs do (personally hated that with the pethidine, but ymmv).

I used a tens machine for both my labours and only removed it to get into the pool and push. It helped a lot. I felt confident going into my second labour with the knowledge of how much it helped.

I tried it out for pain relief before labour, particularly for baby no.1 as I had intense Brixton Hicks. This gave me experience of how it could help. It felt like a warm buzzing in my back and the effect was similar to the way a hot water bottle eases muscle pain.

Remember to turn it off before removing the pads - DH got an electric shock trying to get them off in a hurry (so I could get in the pool before the next contraction)!

Yes recommend 100% but had exactly the same experience as somersetsinger, turn off before removal!

@MoreSlidingDoors I was told the same thing when I was monitored during both of my labours (1 and 3 years ago). I hated wearing that trace thing! Complete waste of £40 on a tens machine too.

I'm undecided as to whether it really helps but it definitely gives you something to do which takes the focus off the pain! As someone has said, it's a cumulative effect and takes a while for your body to use it effectively so if you get one, get it on at the first contraction so it has maximum effect!

Yes, for second labour mine was brilliant. I had a shower when I knew I was in labour and made sure my back was really clean and dry so that the pads stuck properly. They slipped off first time. Used TENs and gas and air for delivery and for me it really helped.
I hired mine from the midwifery team.

I didn’t like it. For some reason I felt sick and irritated with it on.

@MoreSlidingDoors must be hospital policy dependent then. Having worn one with the trace thing it didn't actually interfer.

I hired and used one for my first child and found it really helpful. At one point I thought it wasn’t helping so took it off a few hours. I then put it back on and it was such a relief from pain.

I’ve hired another machine to use next week!

I'm pleased its had a positive effect for most people, feeling more optimistic now!
I've hired one from Birthease it's the Elletens one so has the booster button and all that jazz.
I've told my MW I'll be using it and she hasn't mentioned anything about it affecting monitoring so I'm assuming it's ok but will double check again once I'm actually in labour to make sure.