I used one for my labour. I don't have anything to compare it to, so I'm not sure if it would have been better or worse had I not used it. BUT I can say that although I was induced, I didn't have an epidural (which was something I really wanted to avoid) and perhaps the tens machine helped with that. I took mine off when I wanted to go in the shower (the bath was out for me because they broke my waters at the start of my labour), and I found it better to be labouring with the machine than with the water.

The physio who ran our birth classes said that you need to start using the machine right from the start of labour because the pain can build. So, unlike pain killers, you don't want to wait until the labour gets really intense before you opt for them. You press a button every time you feel the contraction coming and you'll feel a buzzing on your back. It has adjustable settings, so you put it up as high as you need it and increase it as the intensity of your contractions increases. Actually, I'm not sure how high/low you're meant to have it in general though and I remember feeling unsure about that during my labour.

Good luck Rainforest! Good on you for looking out for something new to help during labour