TEN Machines?!

[hawalkden]

I'm 23 weeks and thinking about pain relief already!

Just wondering how good TEN machines are?

I can't deal with any sort of pain so trying to prepare myself for the worse..

Any advice?! x

 

[K477uk]

I used my TENs and then G&A for the whole of my 40 hr induced labour... I found it great!! But I put it on very early on... and only used the boost button later on.

It's worth trying if you can, as people react differently to pain relief... having a bit of PMA also helps I think!!

 

[kmumtobe]

I have to say i dont think it did anything for me except distract me everytime i had to push the button! My contractions came thick and fast from the start and it never really caught up with them, plus i found it a really strange sensation. It seems to be one of those things it works for some and not for others x

 

[hawalkden]

Think it's one of them... were in pregnancy or when baby is here you can't test something out until needed. E.g a steriliser you can check it fits in your kitchen or where ever before LO is here but like TEN machine or nappies you've got to wait and see if the product is worth the money :\

 

[K477uk]

There are places that hire them... I was lucky and was given mine, so wasn't that bothered if it didn't work! Speak to MW, as I've also heard that some hospitals have them!

 

[kristel_]

I had one and it did nothing for me except make me laugh when i electrocuted OH with it lol. As said, it's either something that will work for you or it won't.

 

[Sooz]

Mine got me to at least 5cm's (only had two internals so not sure how far I was when I took it off) and until the pool was ready, so 3.5 hours of a 6 hour labour.

 

[lola]

i loved mine, kept me at home until 6cm! it was just a Lloyds pharmacy maternity/labour one but it was fab!

 

[amerikiwi]

Like above, mine helped get me to 6cm at home before going to hospital and hopping in the pool (obviously can't use it in water!). Don't know how much it actually helped and how much was because it gave me a great distraction and placebo effect, but I'll be using one again. The physio department of my hospital lets you hire them (for free) from about 38weeks and then drop it back off after delivery.

 

[Clareabell]

I used my tens machine up until I was 6cm dilated and was made to take it off. All the while i didnt think that it was really working all that much but when they made me take it off my god i felt the difference in contractions. I would definately recommend it for people to use in early labour.

 

[lynnikins]

i used my tens through both my labours it got me till i got in the pool first time so we are talking 50 hrs of labour contractions lol then with ds2 had it on and off caus i was taking baths to relieve the pain as well but got me right up to literally 20min before birth when i was fully dilated

 

[youngwife20]

I used my TENs and then G&A for the whole of my 40 hr induced labour... I found it great!! But I put it on very early on... and only used the boost button later on.

It's worth trying if you can, as people react differently to pain relief... having a bit of PMA also helps I think!!

whats pma?

 

[Loui1001]

TENS worked really well for me in the early stages......then they put up a Synto drip and contractions entered a whole new level. I'd still recommend TENS though!

 

[K477uk]

I used my TENs and then G&A for the whole of my 40 hr induced labour... I found it great!! But I put it on very early on... and only used the boost button later on.

It's worth trying if you can, as people react differently to pain relief... having a bit of PMA also helps I think!!

whats pma?

Positive mental attitude! In my opinion, if you go in thinking it won't work, it prob won't - but personally I think that is true for a lot of pain relief!

 

[prettykitty]

I have yet to have use from mine, but am renting it from the local hospital where Im having LO.

I have noticed that Mothercare rent them and also give you the option to buy them too

xx

 

[KerryGold]

As above mine got me to 4/5cm at home. I was a total skeptic but it got disconnected while I was waiting for the pool to fill and I remember crying "It's not wprking anymore!" and hubby investigating and finding it needed reconnecting.

Would deffo recommend. Especially if you don't want pethidine/epi.

xXx

 

[BattyNora]

I would definitely recommend renting one. It is one of those things where some people love them and other don't feel they done anything but I rented one thinking that at worse it's 30 quid wasted and at best I'd get some relief.

I used mine in the early latent labour, I started having irregular contractions on the Saturday afternoon and put the TENS machine on Sunday evening and loved it gave me a distraction even on the lowest setting. I used it on and off on the monday, and found it especially helpful one long walks to get them going. I went into hosp at 10pm on the monday and was sent home still in early labour...took it off to have a bath and I did feel a diff. ICutting a longish story short I didn't have my TENS on a ahigh setting at all (3 of 30!) but I used it for the following four hours until I went to the loo and felt her head! I wasn't coping, but hubby says he could tell a difference in me when it wasn't on and I can honestly say I wouldn't have wanted to find out what it was like without it!

 

[Eternal]

The hospital offered me one in labour and whatever I was offered I tried lol! hehe

For me it DIDNT take any pain away but I def distracted me, im considering getting one this time, because i liked the distraction. It was a different sort of pain and tht felt good in a weird way, I guess because i was in control of the TENS.

So even though it didnt take any of the pain away, i would still have one lol!

 

[mummySS]

It didn't really work for me, it wasn't even a welcome distraction - the sensation actually really annoyed me. I had it on for about 45 mins before I got rid of it. But I have heard it works and I'm still glad I got it so I could try it out!

 

[Lilmiss1]

I've heard it takes one hour of use to "kick in", because that's how long it takes to stimulate your bodies endorphins. So it's important to start it as soon as you get contractions and give it time for it to start working. (not that I know what contractions feel like)!