Tens

[Cinnamon48]

I am thinking of renting / buying a tens machine to use during labour .. Can anyone offer their experiences of using tens. ? . Would you recommend ? Xx

It helped with the initial stages, more in a 'that's annoying feeling' to focus on. I had mine on until about 30 mins before DD was born. I rented one last time, but bought one second hand for this time.

I think it's worth it, but it's not a magical cure for pain. Saying that I got through with only tens and gas&air... Not that there was time for anything else!

Mine got me to about 4cm. Needed the gas and air after that. Was excellent though and really helped manage the pain in the car on the way to hospital. Bought mine from eBay new. Was about same cost as to rent from mothercare

I used one until I got in the birthing pool. Not sure if it did anything for pain, but it was a great distraction, especially when dh was trying to figure out the controls!

For me it was the difference between coping and not. I had a very long labour with my first (65 hours) and there is only so much paracetamol and baths you can have to help cope with the pain. The tens gave me something else to think about and concentrate on.

I also used one for my second birth. There was 1 contraction between taking off the tens and getting in the birthing pool that was hell. It really demonstrated how much the tens had been helping

Thank you ladies .. I'm going to order one today - (first time mam / 36 weeks / feeling very excited but nervous ) xx

Can I jump in on this and ask what are the best tens machines to buy? I have been looking and saw one at boots for £40 but wondered if it would be a bit rubbish as its so cheap.

I hired a Mama Tens for £15 and used it throughout my labour. It did help.

I found it really good, kept me distracted and gave me something to focus on in the build up to the contractions and helped me labour at home longer. Went to hospital was 9cm, only stopped using it when I went in the birth pool. No drugs or gas and air.

I would definitely recommend.

Hired the mama tens and used it until 7cm when I got in the pool. It was brilliant

I used an Elle TENS until I got in the birthing pool. It was a lifesaver and got me through 30 hours labour at home so I was 6cm dilated by the time I went into hospital. Highly recommend it

I would recommend but definitely test the thing in full
I bought a boots one for my last labour and it didn't work properly so it was useless

I absolutly hated the tens machine. But I know lots who love it.