Is a Tens machine worth it? & When did you go into Labour with 1st baby

[Anonymousm]

Hi everyone, I’m 33 weeks today and starting to think about labour more. I’m hoping to give birth in MLU so not many pain killer options to choose from. Ideally I’d like to stay at home for as long as I can then make way to the unit and have a water birth. I haven’t really given birth plans much thought because I know more often than not they don’t go to plan and things change, I’m pretty open minded really and want to just go with the flow.

Are tens units helpful? What worked for you? Im also abit anxious about throwing up, I have a phobia of sick and somehow managed to dodge it in the early stages although I did feel sick, anyone take peppermint oil? And lastly when did you go into labour with your first, I’m hearing usually their late and others say early! When should I pack my bags? I’m thinking 36 weeks!

Thanks everyone for responding so it seems it’s worth getting as an option & I’ll still be open minded and not expect it all to go as I’d like! When did you all go to the hospital? All my family keep saying hold for as long as possible at home but how are you to know how far you are into labour or is it a drastic difference in pain?

The TENS machine was amazing for me. It really dulled the pain. In fact I got to almost 10cm dilated using the machine and then it finally started hurting

I rented a tens machine from Boots.

Labour started at 40+4. I used it through the first 10 hrs of labour when it worked well as a distraction. My pains were pinging away happily at home.

Then I went to hosp, my waters broke, the pain ramped up and I switched to gas & air.

Then ds got stuck, they lost his heartbeat, needle in the back of my hand and glorious oblivion. Ds was fine and I got 9 hours sleep. Arrived at 7.50am, 40+6

for the first bit Tens helped. It gave me the illusion of control 😀

The nurses usually say you don't need to come in if you can still talk through the contractions.
I'd been in labour for24hrs by that point and the maternity unit was at least an hour's drive so I went in when the pains were 5 mins apart.
My waters broke about 20 mins later so I got it about right.

@donkra it's probably because i've had 3 labours- the longest being 6 hours- shortest 3. I moved through stages very quickly and the machine just didn't cut it with intensity of the contractions. quick and intense and from about 2 hours in hardly anytime to recover from the last one before the next one came.
i become quite "out of myself" like i'm there but not actually iyswim. Just couldn't deal with anything and barely understood people talking to me

Bit random but also worth mentioning that in my (very textbook, calm) second birth I experienced a proper foetal ejection reflex and it felt exactly like the sensation of being sick - that involuntary tummy contraction kinda feeling. I don't know whether the emetophobia is linked to the sensation, or actually the stuff coming out (sorry to be graphic) but I described it afterwards as feeling like my body was vomiting my baby out! So worth preparing that you might encounter that sensation!

I liked the TENS machine, I started trying it from whrn I barely felt anything at all, and it lasted well until shortly before getting into the water for me.

I'd just say don't give it to your birth partner to operate. Switching to contraction mode needed to be pretty fast for me later on, and dh was never fast enough and it was hard to say anything in full contraction!

I'm intrigued that they don't happen everywhere.

@Bootoagoose123

Ive heard about that but not properly looked into it. Is that basically your body pushing the baby out itself without much pushing?

I think for me it’s the smell/sight of sick, especially when it’s watching or seeing it with someone else. I haven’t physically been sick in a very very long time so that’s probably making me more nervous sometimes I think I worry that much my brain won’t allow it 😆😂

I didn't get much relief from the Tens machine first time round. When I was expecting my second baby I did hypnobirthing (listened to the tracks on my phone, I didn't go to classes or anything) and honestly this helped me hugely. Although when actually in labour I didn't realise it, when I look back on it, the hypnobirthing is what got me through (just had gas on that labour, no other pain relief) My advice would be to give everything a go (tens included) but keep an open mind!

Tens machine and breathing exercises kept me out of hospital till 8cm when I arrived and went straight into a birthing pool with G&A, pretty straight forward birth after that.
The bit at home had been long and back to back but the TENS and careful breathing got me through it, I can't explain how much doing the right breathing helped (MW explained it as like blowing out birthday candles).

Do ask for an anti sickness injection, OP.

TENS is really helpful. Get a second hand one though.

Have a list of what needs to go into your hospital bag ready now. It'll be useful for your husband if you have to go in before you pack it yourself.

I learned this the hard way at 34 weeks, when my DH brought me in an ancient dressing gown and some boots. That was it. No toothbrush, pads, make up, and nothing for the baby.

Yeah it honestly felt like being sick - totally involuntary and couldn't have stopped it if I'd wanted to! Made a proper mooing noise too haha. I did a bit of coached kinda pushing at the end when I just wanted her out and it did feel quite different. But I never came close to being actually sick! Fingers crossed for a smooth calm labour for you!

I much preferred the water as pain relief. The hospital had a tens machine so I tried it with dc3. I wasn't keen though, just felt like my back was tingling/itching. I didn't have a bag packed at all for my first as I was planning a homebirth but after I had ds1 and was sat in the pool with him I realised that it might have been a good idea to have clean pyjamas, maternity pads etc to hand. I had the Moses basket, bedding and everything for the baby all neatly folded but completely forgot I would need things too! Ds1 was born at 41+4 but I was in slow early Labour for ages before that. Established Labour was only 4 hours though. I've had 5 babies and was only sick with ds2. He was back to back and I over did it on the gas and air.

I loved mine - used it with all 3 births and then got into the pool when things were much further on.

I bought my own TENs machine, a godsend for all three labours. The first time around I had a 'trial of labour' as my daughter was breech presentation (but ended up with a caesarean section). I used the TENs for the 18+ hours I was in labour, then later during recovery.

Second and third times I had vaginal deliveries and only used the TENS for pain relief.

First labour, I was nine days post-due date. Second and third, a day or two after. I was pretty fed up by the time the babies arrived.

You can hire them - it's a bit cheaper. I found mine helpful in early labour, something to focus on if nothing else!

I used Birth ease :

I gave birth in feb first time and unbeknown to me was in slow labour (I thought maybe braxton hicks) 3 sweeps later which were not that bad, I woke up at 4am but didn’t think Labour as the pain was in my bum. Tens machine helped massively… I couldn’t have got through without it. It distracted me from the actual pain and really helped. Sadly broke it and went looking round a boots store for another when in Labour on way to hospital for a check, luckily they didn’t have any or I would have wasted money because when I got to hospital I was examined and told in Labour. I demanded an epidural straight away not even considering without as that was my plan all along. Baby born 2 weeks overdue. I bought mine in Vinted and just got new pads! Good luck!

Mine was worth every penny- it got me through the first 18 hours of an excruciating back to back labour, and the last half hour as well (was in birthing pool in the middle)

Hey there! It's great that you're thinking ahead and considering your options for labor.
TENS machines can be a helpful tool for managing pain during labor, especially if you're looking for non-medicated pain relief options. They work by sending gentle electrical pulses through electrodes placed on your skin, which can help to alleviate discomfort.
As for your anxiety about vomiting, peppermint oil is a popular natural remedy for nausea. You can inhale it directly from the bottle or add a few drops to a tissue and breathe in the aroma. However, it's always a good idea to check with your healthcare provider before trying any new remedies, especially during pregnancy.