Tens machine advice

[Samcz]

Could anyone please give advice about tens machines for labour? I see you can hire them online or buy them. Do you think it's better to hire one as I may get a more expensive model than buying one outright. Thank you.

[Cedrada]

I wouldn't bother unless you know it's going to help you. I thought one would help me, but when I tried it out, it was like being strapped to an electric fence. Worse than labor and contractions on even the mildest setting!

[Samcz in reply to Cedrada]

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that

[AE123]

Hi I gave birth 2 weeks ago and hired mine - for me, it was fantastic and I would highly recommend. I hired mine from Birth Ease, and it came quickly and was easy to return. I decided to hire rather than buy as it was my first time using it and I didn’t know if it would work, so went for the cheaper option. Hope this helps x

[Samcz in reply to AE123]

Thanks very much. Did you give birth in hospital? X

[AE123 in reply to Samcz]

I did - I was actually induced in the end and the TENS really seemed to distract me

[Samcz in reply to AE123]

That's good. Do you remember which model you used please?

[AE123 in reply to Samcz]

It was the Elle

[Samcz in reply to AE123]

Thank you! ☺️

[EstherBP]

Hi,

I hired one for when I gave birth in December, a colleague recommended it because it helped his wife massively after she really struggled with her first labour.

I really liked it, I had a prolonged labour and I was feeling irregular contractions for a few days before I actually gave birth, so it really help with focussing on something else during the early labour!

I think the key is to use it very early in established labour on the mildest setting for it to be effective and you gradually increase as the contractions do. I hired mine for about £23 , and was easy very easy to return, I have to much stuff at home so it helps not having to clutter up more space!!

Xx

[Samcz in reply to EstherBP]

Thanks very much. Do you remember where you hired it please? Xx

[EstherBP in reply to Samcz]

This is the one i got from the maternity tens machine site. They give you enough leeway either side of your due date incase baby shows early too

maternitytensmachine.co.uk/...

Let me know if you have anymore questions xx

[Samcz in reply to EstherBP]

Thank you that's really helpful. Did you start using it at home when you very first felt contractions? Xx

[EstherBP in reply to Samcz]

I started when my contractions where about 20 mins or so apart. I was already in the hospital at that point for, because my amniotic fluid had started leaking, so I think starting at home would be recommended to help manage the pain before going in xx

[Octoberbaby2019]

I bought one as at the time it was almost as cheap as hiring one, also I thought it would be better to own one as I was thinking of having a second one.

Whatever you do I recommend getting extra pads for the machine, I was in pre labour for days and they stopped being sticky. I loved my tens machine and I think it really helped me get throu it.

Good luck x

[Samcz in reply to Octoberbaby2019]

Thanks very much! Which one did you buy please? Was it easy to use? X

[Octoberbaby2019 in reply to Samcz]

Elle Tens by babycare tens

amazon.co.uk/Babycare-TENS-...

It was really easy to use, I was having contractions and my husband stuck on the pads for me and told me what to press and he'd never read the instructions before. It's really just putting on the pads the right way although I wonder how much that matters and then there's the on button and increasing intensity and the important one to know is the boost button which gets you throu the contractions!

[Samcz]

That's great thank you. It sounds quite straightforward! Were you using it in prelabour at home then continued using it in hospital?

[HollyT7]

I used a tens and it made no difference whatsoever! But neither did the pain medication... maybe it just depends on the person! xx

[Samcz]

Oh no! I'm sorry to hear that xx