Tens machine? Worth hiring?

[~Hestia~]

I think it really helps to take the edge off the contractions, and is fantastic for managing early labour!Goodluck

That's a very good point - get it on asap. I got to 8cms at home before I felt like I needed to go into hospital, could barely feel the contractions with the TENS on at this stage.

The only time I got panicky was when I couldn't get it to work. Definately worth getting.

LOL you just reminded me when my DH was changing the batteries (theres a tip - take spare batteries with you!) and I started freaking out because I could feel a contraction coming! Never seen a man move so fast!

[MrsBexie]

What is a tens machine??

[Laranna]

YES! Get one if you can. I used one with DD's labour and it was excellent. It helped me get to 7cm at home and I continued using it throughout transition (although I swore a few times it wasn't working anymore at that stage even though I had it maxxed out on the highest setting!).

MrsBexie, TENS stands for Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation. It's a little machine (handheld portable size for labouring women) that has 4 pads which you place on your lower back. You control the settings on the unit to the level of electrical stimulation through the pads on your skin. What it does is when you feel pain, you're getting that signal from your brain. The TENS blocks that signal with the electrical pulses through the nerves. Hope that makes sense. It's non-invasive and very effective.

[Heaven]

Sounds like I need to get myself a TENS machine!! Where do you get them from??

[Laranna]

Heaven, I hired mine from the hospital physio and I was able to claim some of it back on my health fund.

[~Hestia~]

Yep same here, hospital recommended a physio & I also claimed some of the cost back.