Tens Machine

[First Baby White]

Hello,

I have got to stage where I need to think about the birth and am unsure about Tens machines so wanted your input on whether you are using one and if so buying or renting. Could you also let me know where is good to get them from.

Thanks

 

[Sherlock]

We hired from here

http://www.birthease.co.uk/birthease_sh ... Hire.shtml

Personally, I used it for the early twinges before first stage labour officially kicked in. It was more a distraction from the contractions than anything.

When I was in first stage labour I used it for about an hour or two was all before getting into the birth pool. Again, it was more distracting from the contraction pain than actually taking it away.

Mind you saying that, the strongest setting was 66 or so and I never got past 30 at the strongest point when my contractions were 2 mins apart and lasting a minute or so.

I'd say try one and see. It won't stop the pain but it will take the edge off I found.

 

[BeckyJ]

yes we have one

we bought it as it was cheap, £20 as the lady that bought it never got to use it as she ended up having a c section so sold it on to us

http://www.boots.com/shop/product_detai ... id=1037705

 

[Suzie and Faith]

I've got the boots maternity TENS. We bought it new for £45 with 1000 advantage points - so we thought of it as more like spending £35 on one. Lol. I love it.. obviously havent used it in labour.. but i think it'll be good! I know Sarah (geordie lass) finds it eases her back well xxx

 

[Rosie1]

i don't know.

I really don't want to spend the money at the moment, just don't have it to spare.

I think my mum has a normal one that i may borrow, but i've now heard there are special maternity ones. Does anyone know the difference?

 

[Suzie and Faith]

i don't know.

I really don't want to spend the money at the moment, just don't have it to spare.

I think my mum has a normal one that i may borrow, but i've now heard there are special maternity ones. Does anyone know the difference?

You can't use normal ones during labour - well none that i looked at! But you can use labour ones for other things - i have no idea what the difference is but definitely have a read of the instructions for your mums one in case it can't be used.

Might be worth asking your midwife as mine knew a way you could hire them for just a deposit, it was a local scheme but there might be something round your way!

 

[lfc_sarah]

I just bought the elle tens

Couldnt be bothered messing around renting one

And can always be used again..

 

[MissSara]

I'm not having one, i guess im kinda hoping that i managed without any pain relief at all with harrison that it all seems a waste of time for me.
In those early stages im going to try and go a walk or spend all my time in the bath instead.

 

[Geordie&Bairn]

I hired mine with money off with a voucher from a pharmacy cost only £6.99 i think bargin and all thanks to the Charlie love that women


Defentaly get one its brilliant 8)

 

[soverign]

I would definately reccomend one. Mine was a life saver. I didn't buy my own - the hospital lent it to me!

 

[miffy]

I hired one the first time around and hated it. It seemed to make the contractions more intense so I took it off pretty quickly! Needless to say, I won't be using one this time!

 

[abcd1234]

I've bought one, its second hand but the pads on it are brand new as they were bought for her second baby and she didnt have time to use it. Cost me £20 and i cna use it afterwards, cant wait to get to 37 weeks and use it on my back cramps.

 

[scaredbuthappy]

we have just bought the boots maternity one. You have to use a specific maternity/labour one and not a normal tens because the vibrations/settings/pads etc are specifically designed for labour.

The boots maternity one has 4 pads and each set of 2 pads vibrates a different way depending on what stage of labour you are at and also the settings are designed to be used at different stages too.
The top 2 pads and bottom 2 pads are also positioned on certain areas of your back which relates to the channels to your womb and birth canal (or something like that anyway). So basically to cut a long story short thats the difference between normal tens machines and maternity/labour tens machines so i dont think normal tens will have the same effect sorry for rambling.

 

[Suzie and Faith]

we have just bought the boots maternity one. You have to use a specific maternity/labour one and not a normal tens because the vibrations/settings/pads etc are specifically designed for labour.

The boots maternity one has 4 pads and each set of 2 pads vibrates a different way depending on what stage of labour you are at and also the settings are designed to be used at different stages too.
The top 2 pads and bottom 2 pads are also positioned on certain areas of your back which relates to the channels to your womb and birth canal (or something like that anyway). So basically to cut a long story short thats the difference between normal tens machines and maternity/labour tens machines so i dont think normal tens will have the same effect sorry for rambling.

thats the one i have! it's lovely.. lol.

 

[Sydneysmum]

I know I'm having a cesarean this time so I'm likely not to need one but I wouldn't be using one anyway. Last time I hired one from the hospital and I only found it irritating in the initial stages of labour and didn't bother with it after that.

It works really well for some people, I guess it's just a matter of trying it out.

 

[kalia]

I bought the Elle TENS machine. I got it for £70 of something like that from boots but I got 1900 points so it cost more like £50

It was really good. I wore it for a very long time - well over 24 hours, I can't actually remember at what point I put it on. I took it off to have a bath and OH grabbed some sleep (we'd been up all night pretty much) so I didn't want to wake him to put it back on me. The contractions got much harder to deal with but once he woke and I had the TENS on again they were easier again.

I went to hospital at 6cm having just used TENS. I took it off some time after my waters broke, when I was throwing up everywhere and wanted to be on my hands and knees (so the sick would get out more easily) and the wires were just too annoying.

I would definitely recommend using a TENS machine.