TENS machine ?

[sirmione16]

Just reading up on them, wondering if it's worth buying one to help with early labour? I know it won't work miracles but has anyone ever used one - would you recommend it or not? Did it help significantly?

TIA :)

I hired one and loved it. I originally wanted a water birth but ended up getting out of the pool so I could have the tens back on as I found it much better for pain relief. I was in early labour for over 24 hours and the tens kept it manageable. I had gas and air once I got more established but still kept the tens on for boosting during contractions. Definitely worth getting the machine designed for birth rather than the standard one too as the boost function was invaluable!

Yes it absolutely did help. Used it when the contractions started getting strong until the epidural went in. It really helped a lot. Hired one, sorry I can remember where, it cost about £30.

Used the tens birth machine on both labours. Managed pain for quite a long time before resorting to gas and air. Like that you can control the settings and agree with pp that boost function is helpful for contraction peaks.

There are 2 types, one for sports I think, and the other for birth like pp. says

I had a very long latent phase and my MLU sent me home with a lend of a TENS.

It didn’t do much for me to be honest- I felt all my contractions in my belly and thighs rather than my back where the electrodes were placed. It gave a nice warm tingly feeling and was a distraction playing with the controls, but didnt dull the pain.

I’m glad I didn’t spend money on it- it’s just luck of the draw whether it’s effective relief for you or not.

Thank you for all the replies! Can be hard with this baby lark to see through what's "fashionable" and what's useful as such

No worries, any other bits and bobs you're looking at?

I had a tens machine and to be honest, I absolutely hated it. I only used it at the beginning but it made me more uncomfortable to the point I was getting wound up with it. I took it off and didn't use it anymore.

I was having back to back labour at the time (which I didn't know) so had a lot of back pain. Perhaps in a different situation I would have found it more useful.

I think they key is that it's probably different for every one.

Back to back Labour that lasted 4hours from start to finish. I put the tens on before making the 1hr car drive to hospital and it was amazing. Got me through it.... didn't need anything else. Best delivery ever.... compared with my emc the first time after a 36hr Labour😂😂

I loved it! Hired one from Boots. I used it at home for 12ish hours of early labour - by the time I got to hospital I was already 6cm. Used it until I needed gas and air right towards the end.

For me personally I also really loved the fact that you push a button to activate it when you feel a contraction coming - it gave me a real sense of being in control of something! A consideration if that’s important to you?

@MonkeyToucher yeah mentally I think the feeling of some sort of control will help. I like to feel as if being productive about something and not feel so helpless, so perhaps you're right here