Just to add my sister's experience with the TENS machine - she loved it. She had it on from about 10pm the night before my niece was born, it helped her to sleep through the start of her contractions, a little bit anyway. She had it quite low at this point.

She kept it on going into the hosp, had it on for the entire duration of the labour and even afterwards when the Dr was stitching her up (only a few stitches!).

She loved the feeling of control it gave her and said it really helped her pain. She only used that and the gas for the birth.

I also agree it isn't electrical shocks - what it does is send a tiny little impulse into the spinal cord, I think to interrupt the pain messages shooting up and down the spine.

Anyway my sister loved it and I'm definitely getting one for Feb!