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Childbirth

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

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Original poster

37 weeks pregnant and just can not decide whether to try tens or not.

15 replies

staryeyed · 01/04/2009 17:30

Ive read mixed opinions from people thinking that it helped, to people hating the sensation. I had gas and air from quite early last time which made me very light headed. I would like to try something else for earlier contractions. I better get a move on and decide or the baby will come before I've made a decision.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 01/04/2009 17:40

This reply has been deleted

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cherrylips · 01/04/2009 17:52

At first I found it weird, but got used to it a couple of hours later. It really helped with those early pains, and gave the chance to sleep (with it still on). I found it very helpful. I then moved on to gas and air and then epidural.

Original poster

staryeyed · 01/04/2009 17:56

I know starlight but I dont want to waste money on something that's not going to work- have to tighten the purse strings this year .

OP posts:

BellaMummy · 01/04/2009 18:03

I think you can hire them from Boots and other places online, so that would be cheaper than buying. Personally I didn't use one the first time and I didn't labour in my back so I'm not sure I would have found it as helpful, but I have friends who swore by them. Worth a try if you can hire for a reasonable price!

janek · 01/04/2009 18:03

i thought the tens was brilliant for both of my DD's births. i don't remember dd1 so clearly, but definitely for dd2 it completely distracted me from the pain. i'm not saying it didn't hurt, but it felt like it wasn't so bad iyswim. and for dd1's birth the tens was enhanced by the gas and air, although i think i could have managed without the g + a. i had a birthpool which i did not use because i was afraid of losing the cumulative effect of the tens.

and when i got to the stage of pushing out my enormous-headed dd2 i got dp to take charge of the tens because i knew i needed it, but wasn't capable of dealing with it myself.

in summary, good, get one. sorry, not very coherent cos my dinner's ready... xxx

cory · 01/04/2009 18:15

I liked it. Wasn't all that expensive to hire and easy enough to put to one side if you don't like it.

Original poster

staryeyed · 01/04/2009 18:32

Ok I will definitely try it. Now where do I get one from with quick delivery and not too fiddly?

OP posts:

Flibbertyjibbet · 01/04/2009 18:42

I'd get one. Then if you need it, you have it handy and not 3-days-by-courier away!

I'd could really have done with one for ds1 as stage one was soooo long and drawn out. But didn't have one.

Ds 2 I ordered one then he was ecsect. But I didn't regret spending the money to avoid another ds1 agony scenario.

rebee · 01/04/2009 20:45

I hired one for about £30-£40 and it was a waste of money and did absolutely nothing.

But this could be due to that fact I was induced and the second they put that gel on my cervix I started having very strong contractions every other minute. Maybe if I had gone into labour naturally it wuld have been more effective.

QueenFee · 01/04/2009 21:18

I have used one for both my DCs and when I suggested to my DH I didn't need it this time he snorted and told me to find one pronto. Apparently I would have near killed someone whe tried to take it off me....

I buy them on ebay then sell them after so effectively use them for free

Original poster

staryeyed · 01/04/2009 22:22

Thanks all have hired one- Elle tens. Crossing fingers that it works.

OP posts:

EdwardCullensWife · 01/04/2009 22:26

The hospital tens machine did absolutely nothing for me.

hester · 01/04/2009 22:31

I hired one from Boots. It cost about twenty quid (three years ago). I was a bit cynical but decided to try it after my antenatal teacher said, "If it doesn't work for you, it's only twenty quid. If it does work for you, it's the best twenty quid you'll ever spend".

It doesn't work for everyone, but I think a lot of people who dismiss it have used it as an alternative to gas and air etc. IME, it's best used at home before you go to the hospital and have access to stronger forms of pain relief. I found it brilliant up to 4cm dilated, useless after that (but that journey up to 4cm was a loooong one, and I was grateful for all the help I could get!)

hester · 01/04/2009 22:32

Oh, I see I posted too late

Best of luck with the birth.

Olissa · 02/04/2009 15:19

I found it very useful in both labours - both babies OP so a lot of back pain.
Just try to keep control of it yourself! With my first, the MW suggested that DH take over and he never timed the boost thingy right. I should have let DH have the gas and air instead because I kept biting the mouthpiece off and sucking on nothing
Good luck with the birth!

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