To TENS or not to TENS?

[Chick]

hi there

Anyone out there hired one of these? any experiences?

Been looking at boots own make works out at £30 to hire plus a deposit you get it for up to a month.

Thank you

 

[bluey]

I use them occasionally at work. I think their main effect in labour would be to provide you with a distraction - with all the fiddling around with settings it would give you something to focus on rather than the pain! Can't imagine it'd be a particularly effective method of pain relief in anything other than the really early stages.

 

[EmmaDueInFeb]

I've heard they are good for at home, when you're waiting for your contractions to get to 5 mins apart, but from then on, they have no effect...but then you can have gas & air etc so would you need it.... I'm gonna use one for when I'm at home, as last time i had a bath but wasn't very comfy !

 

[topazicatzbet]

i ve bought one from lloyds pharmacy for £30, and plan on using it at home. then i ll sell it on after.

 

[redpoppy]

I've bought one as they were on sale. And I figure if it doesn't work I can sell it on ebay. If it does work, then I'll have it for future kids. I've heard the earlier you use them the better they work and as most people say, it's hardly a hardcore pain reliever but shoudl help a little in the earlier stages.

I've heard some woman think they're amazing and others think they do nothing or are annoying. Since I don't want to have any heavier painkillers I'm giving all the lighter options a go!

 

[booflebump]

TENS is very effective - the electrical impulses stop pain signals from getting to your brain. Start on a low setting and increase as your labour progresses. Sometimes women think it isnt working but take it off in the later stages, only to realise it really has been helping all along! x

 

[jmac]

I've bought one from Lloyds for £30. Decided it'd be worth giving it a go and if it's crap then at least I've tried it.

 

[MandaAnda]

My midwife said they're worth giving a go if you're wanting to try as natural a birth as possible (like I am). She said you want to start using it at home in the very early stages of labour for it to have an effect. She's even said once I get one, if I bring it to an antenatal appointment, she can show me how to best use it.

 

[machka]

I've rented one for about £7.50 through Sainsbury's. I have a friend who said it was brilliant and actually, in the end, she used it right up to the almost the end when she finally went into a birthing pool.

I figure for that price it's worth a shot!

 

[ttcbabyno.1]

Met up with the mums and still pregnant ladies from my nct class and one of the girls who had her baby last friday RAVED about her TENS machine. They acciedentally had it on 'boost' the whole time and put it on as soon as she relised she was in labour.

The TENS machine has to be put on early on in labour as it slowly builds up your own bodies natural endorphines to counteract the pain. As she'd put it on right away by the time she was in full labour her levels of natural pain killing endorphines was vv high! She arrived at the hospital fully dilated, and had her baby girl under an hour later!!!!

I will definately be using mine (bought it for £30 from Llyods) and will be putting it on boost the whole time after hearing her experience! - just have a spare battery on hand just incase.... she had it on boost for 4-5hours and then the batteries died!

 

[QTPie]

I wasn't going to bother, but a couple of women - at the "birth preparation" workshop that I went to last weekend - said that they were brilliant for early labour (i.e. the hours before they went to the hospital).

I guess that "early labour" isn't something that I had thought about much... was thinking more about pain relief for established labour (gas and air, water and possibly epidural), but none of that will be available until I go in to hospital (which may be quite a few hours after labour starts). So am giving TENS a go for early labour... it may work, it may not, but it is worth a shot...

QT

 

[Belle30]

Same as QT - got mine for 1st stage while I'm still at home. Once I'm at the birth centre I'd like to be straight in the water - and the two don't mix!

They're also good for general backache and other aches and pains (my MIL bought one at the baby show for arthritis in her knee, and says it's helping a lot!)

So might be worth hanging onto afterwards as well, if you've bought one

 

[sweetie_c]

Still unsure if I'm going to buy one. Mixed reviews on them, don't want to buy one and end up stuck with it if it dosen't work. Guess I better make my mind up quick.

 

[Bee70]

I've bought the one from lloyds too... figured I had nothing to lse, and if it means i can spend longer outside of hospital and not need further pain relief then I'm all for it... although want to use the pool when at hospital, and obviously the 2 don't mix!

 

[Pingu]

I am hiring a tens from mamatens, I got £10 off the rental via an email I received from bounty. I have no idea if it will help but thought it is worth a try atleast.

 

[sharan]

My hospital provide the TENS machine with returnable £20 deposit. I'm picking mine up on Tuesday. I'm hoping for a as natural birth as possible. So will use the TENS at home then the birth pool with gas and air at the hospital (well thats the plan anyhow)!

 

[amerikiwi]

My hospital hires them for free, so at that cost, why wouldn't I try. When I picked it up last week, they put it on to show me where the pads go, and then let me have a try at the dials. I was pleasantly surprised at the sensation. Instead of a jolt of electricity, it felt like a nice pulsating massage.

As the others, I plan to use it in early labour. If I like it, I'll keep it on, if not, it's easy to remove and hop in the pool/tub!

 

[Chick]

Thanks ladies think it sounds like they are worth a go anything to try to ease the pain a little. I will have to look at the one you say you can buy from Llyods pharmacy too.


thanx

 

[danni1979]

I used one during labour,but forgot to put it n till 12 hrs into it,so just found it REALLY annoying at that timxe lol.
It was a kinda nice tingly feeling though
xx xx

 

[Sekhmet]

Thanks ladies think it sounds like they are worth a go anything to try to ease the pain a little. I will have to look at the one you say you can buy from Llyods pharmacy too.


thanx

Check out this thread:
https://www.babyandbump.com/pregnancy-third-trimester/239720-good-deal-labour-tens-machines-lloyds-pharmacy.html

If you go tomorrow you can get it for £24!

I went to pick one up yesterday and they were out at that shop - they're having one delivered from another shop on Monday and said they'll still honor the sale discount since they didn't have one in stock.