tens machine, anyone?

[K7]

Has anyone tried using a tens machine during labour? First baby due in the summer and curious to know whether they help.

I used one. It helped a little bit. Sort of nice buzzing feeling and it certainly gave me something to do. I think they work better for some people than others. Are useful in the early stages but not sure if they are much help when it starts getting serious.

I used one and found it really helped in the early stages when i was at home. takes your mind of the pain more than anything else I think. In fact think it must have helped more than i realised at the time because i was 6 cm dilated by time I got to hospital, and then used it for another hour or so before going on to gas and air.

I used one - me midwife pursuaded me to get one as I reckoned it probably wouldn't work but she was insistant as baby was posterior & she said they're especially good for this....anyway I did find it surprisingly helpful - the sensation is really quite pleasant and twiddling the buttons gives you something to think about and distracts you a bit. I used it for the first 3 hours or so then it stopped working (in retrospect because I was cracking on) at which point I got into a nice warm bath which also was very helpful. Once that stopped working I went into hospital and was fully dilated on arrival so would give TENS a thumbs up. I practised using it before labour and would recommend that - the last thing you want to do in labour is try to work out how to use the ruddy thing!!!!

I used one and thought it was great. would second everything on here except, Nik72, I would say it's quite a good idea to have something to work on in early labour! Good idea to read the instructions beforehand but I only got one set of pads so I didn't want to use them before the real thing. Also, I really regretted handing over the controls to my dh at one point, as I could never ask him to switch over to contraction mode quickly enough. Wish I'd hung onto the controls myself. But you'll work out what's right for you.

It doesn't take the pain away so don't expect that. It kind of blurs it though and definitely helps. Also, the earlier you start using it the better, unlike most other pain relief.

I thought it was good. I started using mine as soon as pre-labour started because I think the idea is that your body's endorphins build up. Combined with lots of walking and leaning forward, and a pool later, I was fine and didn't need gas and air. I felt 'sky high' which I think was the endorphins.

Hi, I would agree with everything already said.........I used tens right the way through my labour which although short was extremely intense. Definately worth using but remember the dial only goes up to 10!! (I'd got to 7 after 3 hours) Have a practise with your birthing partner as they will be the one putting it on you and you dont want all that faff going on when you are in labour.
I would thoroughly reccomend it to anyone,I had no other pain relief other than one puff of gas and air (also very good I have to say) they are reasonably cheap to hire and the easiest thing is to gove it a go and if you find its not working for you, move on to something else.
Good luck for the summer.

Found it really good with ds' labour - he was OP and had a lot of backache. Used it for many hours progressively until was on Gas and Air towards end of first stage and then didn't notice when the elctrodes had fallen off .

Hired one for dd's delivery but didn't use it as early stages very manageable and then full on towards end of first stage, so too late to bother.

Like others have said I also found it helpful at beginning of labour but as I progressed it just annoyed the hell out of me. I would say try it, but be prepared to consider using other form of pain relief if it isn't enough for you, everone's different so you don't know unless you try it. For 2nd and 3rd labours didn't bother with it just went straight on to the fabulous gas and air when it got really bad. (fantastic stuff in my opinion).
Good luck.

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Sounds like it's definitely worth a go. Will get one booked up for August. Thanks!

Get one - they are fantastic!

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hi - used one but it actually made my contractions worse!!! asked the midwife when i got to the hospital if it was on it the correct way and she said yes- shed also used one and it did the same thing to her! not the only coincidence shed just had a little boy and he was called the same thing i was about to call mine!!!
i loaned one for around £20 for 5 weeks but would nt do it again! anythings worth a try though!

Sorry to be negative but mine was of no use whatsoever, admittedly I was induced (twice) and then had very severe "back" labour so went straight for epidural. Give it a go, at least it gives you something to concentrate on!

Agree with feelingold. It was a distraction initially but then just seemed to add to the pain and became really annoying! I had gas and air as soon as i got to the birth centre and it made all the difference. Fantastic stuff! Good luck.

K7 - since you've decided to get one, small tip. Don't let dh change the battery when you've had the power turned up to full. Hadn't appreciated quite how much the power wained. When he put the new battery in, was like someone had kicked me in the back! Fortunately, this was only when I had backache with OP baby a day or so before arrival, not during the event itself. Second tip however - make sure you have spare battery in hospital bag.

I thought it was good - mostly from the fact that it felt like you were able to do something about the pain yourself (if that makes sense). And it gave you something to concentrate on / do!

Didn't help much at all with my first labour....but made the world of difference with my second labour.

Apparently they are more effective if you use them in the early stages of labour and then continue with it thereafter. (For my first labour I didn't use tens until I got to labour ward, but for my second labour I started using it from the early contractions stage and it did seem to be more effective)

make sure you turn it off before trying to take the electrodes off though!
I used it all the way through to birth and for the pushing part was really swearing at dh (who was pushing the buttons - easier job) that he'd turned it off by mistake as I couldn t feel a thing - when it was all over I went to take the electodes off and got a right shock I can tell you!!

i used one during my labour with dd but unfortunately didnt use it from the beginning and therefore it didnt work as effectively. I had it turned up quite high but found that every time I blinked i saw flashing lights.

I used one
It was wonderful Helped me alot because I had a 'back' labour! Only downside was once Id given birth to my son and the midwife went to take it off instead of turning it off she turned it up to the max and nearly frightened me to death!!!!!! Anyway go for it Its a Godsend! Good Luck

i used one too.fantastic.right up untill the end.i found it made things alot more bearable untill a fairly late stage.
when the big guns kicked in so to speak it was a weirdly effective distraction,without actually doing much for the pain itself.
feel that it def did work ,on the pain stakes that is,cos at the beginning was in pain before my hot bath....sat in bath for ages... felt fine,got out whilst drying myself pain returned..quickly got my tens on and bingo! relief!
good luck with your preg and birth x

I hired one from boots and in the early stages it was great, but as I was induced by drip it became annoying as everything really started to happen. I would reccomend it though.

i found it very good, i hired one from the hospital, make sure the battery works first, cos i had mine weeks before had baby and when went to hospital it asnt working so they had to go get me another. It is good though but be sure not to turn up too high cos your whole body will be throbbing.