Tens question...

[Sluggers]

Hi, I have a non obstetric tens to use in labour - we already had it and I've checked, it's fine to use etc, have bought new electrodes.

So the difference between this one and an obstetric tens machine is that it doesn't have a boost button. So, the advice is to twiddle with the settings manually during a contraction.

My question is what do I increase? Is it the 'output (intensity)' or the 'pulse rate'? Does anyone know?

There's also a 'pulse width control' so if anyone knows what that does, I'd also love to know!

Thanks

Not sure about a non obstetric tens, but I found the boost button on mine invaluable going through contractions with DS
I am not sure I could have done any "twiddling" during a contraction and holding down the boost button was hard enough. Maybe worth practising on DP? From my experience you want more "intensity" with a contraction. I got to the max setting with mine over 5 hours.

There's no way I could have twiddled with the settings rather than press the boost button. I think you might live to regret not having one OP.

I agree. It was the only thing that touched the pain. I abandoned water and gas and air because it interfered with my beloved tens. I clutched it to me and only agreed to replace it with a newborn baby.

I counted through each contraction and knew when to press boost to get me through the peak. I couldn't have twiddled. In fact I couldn't count by the time I was admitted at 7cm. DH had to count for me as I could only manage to press the button.

Marvellous things when designed for labouring women. I'd re think too.

Thanks re the intensity advice teabag.

It's a dial - you turn it a bit like a volume control to turn it up. I didn't think turning a dial would be that different to pressing a button. I just need to work out which setting is the one you want more of when the contractions get stronger.

I read up a bit on it and people who'd used non-obstetric said they found it fine.

Am I being totally naive and over ambitious?!

I have to be honest, I had only thought it could really help in the early stages whilst at home and hadn't thought it would be any use in the active stages so wasn't too worried.

Am going to look at hiring one now!!

Well that's different sluggers I could have turned a dial for most of my labour so if you only want it at the start it should be fine. I wanted mine through transition and that's where I needed it to be as simple as possible as I could only think about the button by that point.

I bought mine second hand from eBay and got new pads. It's waiting in the cupboard for labour #2 in Feb so I should get good value from it.