TENS Machine - Contraption over Contraction! (TENS Pain Relief Unit)

Member Name: biffer

Product:	TENS Pain Relief Unit
Date:	01/08/00 (1213 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Can help you cope

Disadvantages: Needs batteries, make sure you have spares

I read about TENS machines in various pregnancy magazines and decided that I'd like to try one when I went into labour. I saw an advertisement for Boots saying that you can hire them.

I went in to book one, paid my money (about £25 I think - and I got Boots points on it too!!) and went back 2 weeks before my due date to collect it.

It was quite small and easy to use and when I gave it a trial run it felt like lots of small needles tapping my skin, not pleasant but not painful either.

I wanted to have a fairly natural birth and thought TENS was a good option, as it's supposed to release the body's natural pain killers - endorphins.

When my contractions started I didn't put it on straight away (although if you start using it too late it doesn't have much effect). When I decided that I needed a bit more help I put it on. I probably had it on in total for about half of my labour, unfortunately I had a "backache" labour and the contractions were just to much for the TENS.

However, I feel that if my son had been coming out the right way the TENS would have been much more effective. I will definitely be hiring another one when the time comes. Whether it actually works or not I'm not sure, but it certainly made me feel as if I was a bit more in control, I could turn it up or down depending on the contraction.

My advice is give it a go, it's not drugs, it doesn't hurt you or the baby and it certainly made me feel more able to cope, especially on the 3.30am ride to the hospital!!

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