TENS - is it worth it?

[Sarahjct]

Hi all

I'm 32 weeks now so just starting to freak out a bit. Have been reading the positive birth story thread so feeling a bit better...

One thing I don't really know too much about is TENS. Does it make a difference? How soon should I get one? Where from?

Sorry... to ask so many questions, I'm just starting to think through all of the options now.

I thought it was vaguely helpful. They are selling them in Lloyds chemists atm for either £14.99 or £24.99 can't remember which but its still cheaper than hiring.

People tend to fall into the love or loathe category I think... I found mine really useful, didn't use any other pain relief (other than a bath, and obv took the TENS machine off then!)

There is one on sale at Lloyds, but you may need to check whether it is suitable for labour as they are different to ones for back pain etc. I hired mine, got a leaflet from the mw, think the company was called Mamatens. Would definitely recommend a run-through before the day, check it's working, batteries ok etc.

I didn't get organised enough to have one last time. Friends have said that they didn't think it was helping until they took it off at whch point they suddenly became aware of how much it had been helping, IYSWIM...

There are different types of TENS. You want one designed for use in labour (some are designed just for general pain relief or fo pelvic floor toning) and I gather preferably one with multiple intensity settings that is very easy to use. There are various models available at various price points, and you can also normally hire the higher-end models (e.g. through the NCT).

don't buy the ones from Lloyds as they are not designed for use in labour. You need a proper one - boots.com should steer you in the right direction, I think Tesco do them for hire as well. NCT also hire and sell them.

Sorry, what previous poster said. CHECK whether the ones from Lloyds are OK. The ones that they have been advertising on TV for £15 say that they are not for use during labour.

Oops sorry about my duff advice, I thought that all TENS would be the same.

We had one for both but didn't use it 2nd time round.
first time I didn't think it was making any difference but didn't dare take it off just incase it made it worse. If you know what I mean!
Go for it - we hired ours from boots.
Jen x

Hired mine from Boots - found it really good - noticed it working particularly when I had to remove it for the epidural and it had kickstarted my endorphins so I didn't even feel those contractions after removal (felt them v strongly before using the TENS).

I didn't use with with DC1 (about the only pain relief I didn't use ) but when my friend got through her first ever labour with just a TENS I thought it must be worth a try.

Used on for DC2 and it took too much attention away from me taking my gas and air correctly (if you don't take it as soon as you feel a contraction coming on it doesn't work half as well). In fact, at one point I remember trying to inhale my TENS machine and switch on my face mask .

Best use I got out of it was 'accidently' whacking the paramedic with it after he called me an elderly mother (at 29 ) .

That said, my friend loved hers. Maybe the trick is to become very familiar with it before you actually need it!

Wow, that was quick! Thanks everyone. I think it sounds like the safest thing to do is to look at the Boots website then. I think I'm a bit wary of not having one, having a horrendous time and thinking 'damn, I wish I'd been organised enough to get one'!

Hmmm, I thought my TENS machine was a complete waste of time. It did nothing to relieve my pain and was really inconvenient, as it means having a large machine strapped to you while you're trying to move around.

I know other people like them, so maybe it's just me, or maybe because I was induced the contractions were stronger straight away and too much for a TENS on its own.

I was induced and found TENS very useful for the first few hours. In fact, it was a lifesaver. My contractions did get beyond it eventually and I had to use gas and air too. Was very disappointed that G&A didn't have such a good effect as the TENS! I remember my batteries running out just as they were prepping me for an ecs and I thought I would pass out. Luckily DH was responding to my instructions about where the spares were - I felt very vulnerable without it!

I would buy one rather than hire, they aren't that much more expensive and you can sell it on afterwards. Or split the cost with any pregnant friends you have who aren't due around the same time.

Mind you, it did bugger all for me, but then neither did gas and air (that's back-to-back labour for you). But then I lent it to my friend who LOVED it, and apart from G&A it was all she needed. So gotta be worth a go, if nothing else fiddling around with it gives you something to do in early labour.

I would recommend TENS. But have a practice with it first (get used to putting it on, how the controls work). Put it on and start using it as soon as you get your first contractions. The settings are variable so start low and gradually get on to high. I was managing perfectly well with TENS in first 7 hours of labour, up to 3cm dilated (I was induced, too). Sadly didn't get to find out how well it would have worked later on because had crash caesarian at that point. But had I ever gone through labour again, would definitely have used TENS. Made such a difference to the pain - took away 50% of it, at least.

I hired mine from a company advertising in the classifieds in a baby magazine. Sorry, can't remember which one.

It did nothing for me, but I know people who said that it worked a treat. It wouldn't hurt to give it a try.

I hired one and put it on fairly early on in labour. I think it let me get a lot further than I would otherwise have managed without having to go in to hospital for additional pain relief. If nothing else it gives you something to focus on during contractions!

I used one both times - from Boots
Worked for me and I kept it on til I pushed for both babies

I loved using the TENS machine. As others have said, you don't really realise what its doing unless you switch it off. Then you will switch it straight back on again!

I had a strange exerience though, because I could feel the TENS tingling in my back when I was breastfeeding for atleast a week after ds was born (I wasn't wearing it, obviously!) It wasn't an uncomfortable sensation, but I could definitely feel it. Did anyone else experience this?

I'm not sure if the TENS machine actually relieved me of pain but it was a welcome distraction, especially the little electric shock you get when a pad falls off and you have to put it back on... I became quite obsessed with mine but then I was in labour 72 hours! Got through quite a lot of duracell!

Hello! Was induced and didn;t use tens in 'the real thing' but really enjoyed using it before the birth.

I used this website.... Look at this page and the chap on the end of the phone had lots of ideas of how to use it to relax.

I used to wear it before bed when back pain was annoying and set it to a frequency that matched my breathing.

have a good birth (I was scared about ours for months and it was soooooooooooo worth it!) and buy spare batteries!

Yes, your hospital should supply one if you need it, so ask. When I was in labour my back killed! and I have to say thank god for tens, it really helped. My son was 9.10lb.....so very heavy and very painful....cause my back felt so uncomfatable, which ever way I layed...Natural birth, no cc. Thank heavens for tens.

never heard of a hosp supplying them before

Sarahjct - word of warning... Boots send them out 2nd class delivery, and because our post here is terrible it didn't get to me until I was almost 38 weeks.

As it'll be the middle of December when they send it out to you, it may be worth asking if they can send it first class, or special delivery instead?