Tens machines?

immoral_angeluk

Expecting our 2nd baby in January and am tempted to rent a tens machine. Have seen them online for about £20 for 6 weeks hire but have heard varying reviews about them... just wondering whether they're worth the money or a waste of time and what experiences people have had with them...
Thanks!

hippychick1

I rented one for my first pregnancy and to me it made not one jot of difference. One thing it did do was that every time I had a contraction I was concentrating on pressing the little button, and fiddling with the switch that makes it stronger. Along with constantly rearranging the pads on my back to try and get them in the right place, it took my mind off the contractions and gave me something to do rather than concentrating on each contraction.

I wouldn't say it relieved the pain for me in any way at all, and I certainly didn't rent one for my second pregnancy. Many people I have spoken to swear by these machines though so I'd say give it a go because it could work wonders for you. Good luck!

andycarmi

I hired one and went for 0 to 8inch in 1/2 hour so now time to use it!! Lol.

If you do get one make sure it has four pads and some only have two and there no help at all my Midwife told me!

I wouldn't use one next time!

fabwitch_2

Tens machines can work well when having painful contractions. Boots sell tens machine at a reasonable price. I suffer with back pain and find the tens machine really benificial as it takes the edge of the pain. I also used the tens machine with my second pregnancy. Personally I found it a life saver.

Ted_Hutchinson

Lloyds Pharmacy £9.99 tens machine offer (was £39.99) may be worth checking if your local Lloyds Pharmacy has one. The blood pressure monitor offer is also very good. Certainly works well and is good value.

Doozergirl

I rented one with my first and it was rubbish. So then for some stupid reason I rented one again with my second and guess what? It was rubbish! :wall:

I did however discover on the second go that water is absolutely magical! I sat in the bath and genuinely thought the contractions had stopped until I tried to get out of the bath; it was like being hit by a train! :eek:

immoral_angeluk

Ted_Hutchinson wrote:

Lloyds Pharmacy £9.99 tens machine offer (was £39.99) may be worth checking if your local Lloyds Pharmacy has one. The blood pressure monitor offer is also very good. Certainly works well and is good value.

OOOOh will have to check that out thank you!!!

immoral_angeluk

Aww gutted just checked itout and apparently it's not for use during pregnancy or labour... booo!

clairehi

I had one and it was great. The secret is that you have to practice using it before the big day.

I had mine on loan from the hospital. we had to go to a training session on what to do with it. they showed us where to put it on and told us to use it for (I think) half an hour a day for two weeks before the due date. this gets you used to the sensation.

As soon as you think you may be in labour, put it on. it wont work if you put it on when labour is already established. I put mine on at 9pm as I was having strong Braxton Hicks and went to sleep with it on. At 3 am I was woken up by a massive contraction!

Make sure you have spare batteries as you will need them. However beware - the batteries went flat half way through labour - at this point I had turned the dial up to max as the batteries were giving out less and less power. When OH put the new batteries in I thought Id been electrocuted and jumped 15 feet in the air - which wouldnt have been so bad if I hadnt been on the loo at the time...

rarmsby

Hi
I used a tens both times 1st time it REALLY helped 2nd time was fast so did not have time to feel the benefits.
I would say give it a go it may just give you that little extra help to get there without too much pain relief or intervention.
Both times I hired mine from Boots and it was really quick and easy.
HTH
Rachel

Becles

I tried one when I had my first. I was booked to borrow one from the hosptial 2 weeks before birth, but baby decided to arrive a month early, so I never got my borrowed one!

They put one on in the hospital when I arrived and the labour pains were quite mild. It didn't really make much difference. I kept it on, and turned it up more and more as the pains got stronger, but it never did a thing for me, so I decided to take it off.

All the machine did was fill me full of static electricity. Nobody could touch me without getting shocks, and some were so bad there was a huge crack it hurt each time. Not what you want when midwives need to touch you in delicate areas! Everyone had to gently tap my hand first to get rid of the static, before they examined me down there.

So beware of static if you use one!