Tens machines - useful or not? Best ones to use?

[510fudge]

I've heard mixed reviews re Tens machines - I've read that they don't really help at all except a little in the very early stages. But at my NCT class the instructor said something like three quarters of women found them really helpful.

Please can you let me know what your experiences of using a tens machine was like or (if you've not yet had your baby) what you've heard from others.

Also, I read that it's probably best to hire the machine - do you know where you get them from??

Thanks in advance.

I think the tens machine was useful during labour (and I had an induced labour so no slow build up of contractions). I hired mine from the New Road Clinic and they were fine - got it to me in plenty of time, etc. I am hiring one this time round as well from Tens Hire.

New Road Clinic

Tens Hire

Both of these are cheaper than Mothercare/Boots but you could use either of them too if you wished.

With first labour I used TENS and found it really really helpful, but second labour was so quick I forgot I even had it until a couple of days after! If it's a first baby and therefore likely to be a longer labour I would say it's worth getting. Make sure you and your birth partner/s read and understand the instructions beforehand.

Thanks for the recommendations - I'll take a look at the websites you've listed.