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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

Who has NOT used a TENS machine for labour?

87 replies

Takenoprisoners · 06/05/2008 13:08

Hi - I'm 32 weeks with my second pregnancy, and the first time, I hired a TENS, on the grounds that it would probably be helpful and safe, non-medicalised pain relief. They seem to be so ubiquitous and a standard, first port of call when in labour.

However, I didn't find it helpful at all really - just vaguely annoying & am wondering if it is a good idea to go through hooking myself up to electrical currents again. The thought of that is starting to bother me. But then again, if I don't hire one, will I end up regretting it ...? Argghh, such decisions!

Has anyone thought similar, and won't be using one for labour, or for a first labour has decided it's definitely not for you? I'd love to know what you think.

OP posts:

Amapoleon · 08/05/2008 16:36

I did for the first but not for the second. It was a mild distraction and then just annoying.

mooki · 08/05/2008 17:43

I had one and found it useful for about 4 hours as a distraction-y sort of thing up until the point I had the Syntocinon drip then I went directly to the injection of hard drugs in the base of the spine, thanks very much.

But if you've had one before and didn't find it helpful, I can't imagine it would be different this time round. I think actually having a really good play list on my mp3 player that I could dance/lurch round the delivery suite to was just as useful :-)

TurkeyLurkey · 08/05/2008 17:45

Same as you Takenoprisoners. I found it just plain irritating and went for the harder drugs. Didn't even bother with it with my second.

mimismummy · 08/05/2008 17:50

Hi - didn't use one for first pregnancy, did for second but just couldn't get to grips with it. Tried again with third and it was FAB once I'd got past the initial uncomfortableness of the tingling!! 2nd and 3rd labours/births were both at home with nothing but the TENS (can't take G&A) - 3rd was a lot longer but the TENS really helped at the beginning stages. Would definitely say have another go - I'm so glad I did.

egyptianprincess · 08/05/2008 18:55

i used one...but was absolutely useless and did not stop me screaming for a c-section which I was subsequently talked out of...
the only upside was that it gave me something to do during the contractions, ie press boost! ended up with an epidural in the end..

ChocFudgeCake · 08/05/2008 20:19

It was good to give DH something to do "It's coming, press now!". But it only helped in the beginning. I could still feel the thing the following day.

marjean · 08/05/2008 20:47

Please enlighten me - what is the harm of TENS? I thought they were 100% OK - don't cross the placenta etc etc. In fact, knowing that TENS was an option made me more confident in planning home births for both dc1 and 2.

'Planning' for both births, I had my options lined up, ranging from breathing, meditation, yoga, water, pethidine, TENS, hot water bottle... I had all this written on my birth plan. First time, we followed it to the letter. Second time, it went out the window! My point is, surely there's no harm in considering everything an option?

Having said all this, I found that I really needed (or naturally went into) a 'zone' and fannying around with different options interrupted my concentration. In that sense, birth 2 was ideal - apart from the sheer panic of doing it all alone, I was totally into the process and, like I said, TENS would have been useless in such a sudden and short labour.

staranise · 08/05/2008 20:49

I didn't use one for my first labour and I had an epidural. I did use one in my second and likewise found it rather annoying, more of a distraction than a relief. However, when admitted I was already 5 cm dilated and then gave birth with just G&A (not by choice though, I did ask adn was refused an epi) and the TENS.

So would definitely use it again in a third labour - can't really say whether it worked, but perhaps it did and given that I'm likely to be refused an epi again (as that often seems to be the case here), I want every other available option! I did buy one however. Don't know if I'd bother if I had to rent it.

becaroo · 09/05/2008 11:03

I had one and found it very good...although i think it may have been a distrction thing...you know..I felt like I was doing something for myself IYSWIM?

Tip: dont have it turn it up to 10 when first using it as it will shoot you across the room

sleepdeprivationandme · 09/05/2008 11:05

Never used one - never had back pain during childbirth (have 2 dc)

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2008 11:07

I did use one and found it useful, although I don't know how much was psychological. However I did find it a pain being wired up and not able to go in the shower / to the loo without being dismantled! I still think I would use one again though

Lazycow · 09/05/2008 11:57

Haven't read all this but I used a tens machine (was induced with a drip) . I did stand up all the time and rock my hips as well. It helped me get through the first 4-5 hours of a drip induced labour and I'm not sure I'd have coped without it. It didn't take the pain away but sort of merged with it and allowed me to focus more. Not really sure how to describe it.

Once the contractions became too much with the tens machine I switched to G&A which I used for the last couple of hours except for the pushing. I didn't try and use both at the same time. As for the wires etc, since I was attached to a syntocin drip and also to iv antibiotics and those didn't keep me from moving around, the tens machine sure as hell had no chance of keeping me still

EEC · 09/05/2008 11:58

Same as you found it didn't help at all first time and didn't bother second time. Won't bother this tim. One less thing to stress about!

toolly · 09/05/2008 13:04

I had TENS for the first labour, and found it did help but the next day I felt I still had it on as my back as it tingled in exactly the same way. Second labour I spent in a birth pool at home with G&A so didn't use. I'm debating whether to hire one for #3 in November.
It's totally subjective on whether it helps but I think it's a useful bit of kit to have in your armoury

MEMsmum · 09/05/2008 13:29

No tens with DD1 (induced 3 times, 3rd time immediate full-blown contractions and howled for epidural after biting DH's head off for muttering (as pre-arranged)"are you sure you can't hold on a little longer"), no tens with DD2 as no time (also induced then waters broken, DD2 born 45 minutes later. But with DS1 (also induced - hmm bit of a pattern here!!)labour was more prolonged and as Sunday wasn't a busy day on the labour ward there was a tens machine available. It worked more as a distraction rather than "pain relief" and I only used it during the first stages of labour. I'd shock myself and see how far my toes would curl!!! I think the theory is that it stimulates your natural endorphins (or whatever) and so increases your resistence to pain - so you need to start using it as soon as labour begins and notch up the shock as the pain increases. Didn't use it at all during the actual birth - just abused the G&A - lovely stuff! Should be available on tap in special bars !!!

Original poster

Takenoprisoners · 09/05/2008 13:58

Thanks for all your comments and best wishes, everyone. Interesting comments - I know my opening post was only really asking for the negative "who won't be bothering ...(and why not)" type of comments, but I am interested in the positives, too. I can see how a TENS would work by distracting your attention and giving you something to do and of course there's no harm in lining it up as one of several tools to hopefully get you through it. I just wondered if anyone found it irritating first off and so didn't bother subsequently (quite a few of us) or anyone who didn't find it much cop the first time but a godsend subsequently.

I guess I'm just worried about the electrical current thing - and I'm not aware of any research to say it's less than 100% safe etc, but psychologically, I keep remembering an awful experience I had years ago when having a facial ... one of those ones that utilises very mild electrical currents ... and the therapist bungled one of her knobs/dials and stung me in the face so bad that I lept off the bed . Not at all pleasant! (No facials like that for me during this pregnancy, thank you!!) So, I suppose, deep down, I keep worrying about that and coupled with finding it annoying first time round, just want to verify to myself that I'm not missing out on some amazing piece of weaponry this time. Having read all your comments, I don't think I'm going to be in labour this time round and think "oooh, I wish I'd hired that TENS after all" - I'll just go straight for the Hard Drugs if needed .

OP posts:

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2008 16:27

It certainly made me laugh when I (thought I'd) turned it off and asked DH to rip the pads off. It was still on max! Lightened the mood (for me at least) before I started pushing - and I don't think he'd take my word for it again

StealthPolarBear · 09/05/2008 16:29

I've never heard anything about them being unsafe from the baby's point of view. IMO it was fantastic for pain relief (or perception of pain relief) but annoying when I wanted to go to the loo or shower.

mezzer · 09/05/2008 19:35

I found it helpful in the beginning but it started to annoy me towards the end (it was a LONG labour). I think it really depends on the person.

ScoobyDoo · 09/05/2008 19:41

I never even tried one with either of mine

choufleur · 09/05/2008 19:42

i hired one but absolutely hated it and growled at dh to take it off.

poppy123 · 09/05/2008 20:16

sorry to say the opposite of everyone, I tried one the first time and didnt think much of it but got one the 2nd time anyway and it was a more updated one and was marvellous, the best 30 pounds I;ve ever spent. so I would definitely recommend it as when the time comes i would do anything to stop the pain and several friends also used them and liked them. hope this isnt too unhelpful

HensMum · 10/05/2008 13:39

I borrowed one from a friend but I think it made me sick. I was induced and went into intense labour very quickly so I think I might have skipped the point where it would have helped. By the time I used it I was already at the on all fours, mooing like a cow stage and the sensation made me nauseous and I threw up.
So, next time, I'm going to skip it!

ib · 10/05/2008 13:42

I didn't use one - just the birth pool it just didn't appeal at all.

chocbiscuits · 11/05/2008 02:36

I was induced and told not to use it in case it made the contractions go off...

Mind you they also didn't believe my waters had broken and said I 'might be a bit sweaty'!!!!!!!!

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