Would anyone recommend a tens machine?

[Newbabymama1]

Hi,

It's my first pregnancy and I am looking at renting (or even buying) a tens machine, anyone have any advice? Worth it? Not?

Let me know.

I was induced and until they broke my waters I found it very helpful. Useless after that though but it all went extremely fast from the second they broke them. I bought mine and plan to use it again with this one.

I used mine for sciatica in pregnancy first!! Allowed me to go camping at 32weeks no problem!! Used it in labour - def too the edge /my mind off the pain.
Remember to replace batteries on labour day - before you put it on. Dh changed them while I was wearing it and just about electrocuted me when I came on full! ! . Not really but felt like it and nearly shot off the bed!!

I didn't hire one but luckily when I went into labor my hospital had one I got to take home with me. I had a really long labor with all the contractions in my back. It did make a difference. It didn't stop it being sore but took the edge off and gave me a good distraction. So next time I will hire or buy one in advance.

I found it massively helpful and didn’t need additional pain relief. I bought one from EBay.

Really helpful, especially if contractions are in your back (period cramps are always lower back for me, so figured labour would be too!) - especially the first 24 hours until my waters broke. I just rented one.

I have never used one but I have friends that have and they said it was a lot of help.. My mum has chronic back and hip pain and she uses one as her Dr recommend it and it helps her. I would definitely get one.

I hired one for DC1, but was in hospital for a week before the birth and it never made it in with DH so just got boxed up and sent back. Looking at them again this time as I'm hoping for a home birth. I've seen people on here recommending buying one on eBay as you can then resell it afterwards but, with replacement pads, I can't see that it's any cheaper than hiring. I guess it depends if you're going to re-use it for a subsequent birth.

Definitely, I used it in both births, from the earliest twinges until placenta was out. It was amazing and gave me something to focus on. No other pain relief required.

i would definitely recommend one. i used one in my first labour, didn’t feel it was doing much but when i got the hospital i was already 5-6cm dilated without going through too much pain, so it must have been doing something! i’ll hire another one this time.

Didn't work for me, I suggest you get one in advance and try it out, I found the buzzing/sensation annoying and not remotely pain relieving, I had just gas and air both times.

I found it very helpful but you need to get it on before labour really gets going so that you build up the levels as your contractions become stronger

Bought one for DD, absolutely loved it! It made a massive difference, which I noticed when taking it off to get in the water. Definitely will use for DC2. With DD I put it one early and used it all day at home. The boost function was a nice distraction from contractions.

I hated mine. Bought it on offer when I was pregnant with DC1 but it annoyed the hell out of me when I used it in labour. It's come in handy for several friends and family since though so I'm obviously in the minority.

Hell yes! Mine was amazing.

I was fully dilated in thr car on the way in to hospital I don’t think I would have coped without it.

Yes it was amazing, got to 7cm at home without too much pain

I thought it was brilliant, gas and air and the tens machine worked for me. But make sure your back is clean (so maybe wash and dry it) before sticking the pads on because with my first labour they came unstuck. Borrowed/hired from my midwife both times. First labour was a water birth so obviously I had to take the machine off, but I wished I hadn't pretty quickly.

Yes I loved mine - I borrowed it from a friend who bought it and it has been involved in delivering 5 babies so far! So you could share cost with any preg friends if buying one? I'd caution that for me, trying it out before labour was not an indication of how it felt during labour - it was sore and buzzy when trying it before but a great pain relief/distraction come the real event.

I bought one second hand, was cheaper than hiring one. I used it for two births. I found it helped but without taking it off there's no way of knowing whether it lessens the pain or just distracts from it. Either way it's a good distraction and gives you an element of control.
A word of warning though, they interfere with the electronic dopplers, which no one told me until I was at the last stages of labour and just as I went to ramp it up to the highest setting it stopped working - along with the Doppler! At that point I didn't notice any difference without it but I was at transition.

I loved mine. I was overdue by 2 days and I started having mild contractions. I was booked in for a sweep at 40+3 but waited to see if things progressed naturally, they didn't as the head wasn't fully engaged, so I had a sweep at 40+5 at 3pm.
I'd managed to deal with the contractions with nothing at all until 5 pm, 2 hours after the sweep. That's when I started using my tens. I took it off to go to the hospital, then put it back on when I was changed and comfy in the birth centre. So I used it from about 10pm until around 3am ish when I got in the pool.
I didn't get to nearly the highest setting as hadn't needed it yet, but it really helped me. If I hadn't been so exhausted from the 4 days of contractions I'd probably of used it for longer.
Highly recommend them. I got mine and have kept it for next time.
(They're also great for other aches and pains I've found, completely non pregnancy related).