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TENS machine (to buy) recommendations please. Do they work?

Hi ladies

I'm 36 weeks pregnant with my second child and need your recommendations please on which TENS machine to buy. I'm living overseas and the hospital where I'll be delivering doesn't offer ANY pain relief, not even gas and air! I don't think they heve TENS either so I need to buy one from the uk (and hope it gets here on time!).

Are they effective in helping with the pain?

Thanks in advance xx

Replies

  • I have the Elle Tens and it's pretty easy to use and one of the ones recommended primarily for labour (think the other is the Mama Tens). I used it with my DD's labour 3 years ago and I found it was more of a distraction/somthing to focus on during early cntractions rather than actual pain relief. I didn;t use it once things got really bad as it was just a bit annoying. Saying that I'm 39+1 and have it packed in my hospital bag so i will be giving it a chance again this time!

    See if you can get one from Ebay in time rather than paying full price just in case it doesn;t work very well as they're pretty pricey brand new.

  • I bought a brand new labour TENS machine from Lloyds Pharmacy, and it broke just after being put on, rendering it useless and leaving me with no pain relief until I arrived at hospital fully dilated! I'd recommend that you don't buy one from them, and go for the ones that Feebs has recommended to you image
  • I bought a brand new labour TENS machine from Lloyds Pharmacy, and it broke just after being put on, rendering it useless and leaving me with no pain relief until I arrived at hospital fully dilated! I'd recommend that you don't buy one from them, and go for the ones that Feebs has recommended to you image

    Mine broke too!!! I was about 7-8cm by that stage mind and about to go in the birthing pool but I was so cross. Have you taken yours back??

    On if they work - I *think* mine did - was a definite distraction anyway and if I have another baby I will def use a TENS machine again - not a lloyds one mind!!!

    :\)
  • I had the one from Lloyds and it was fab, really helped during early labour. My friend had used it before me and she found it helped in early labour too.
  • I just gave birth to my baby boy on the 10th of may and had the tens machine on my back all the way through (apart from the pushing bit) my back was killing me and when i put that on after a while didn't feel the pain at all whether as ruth77 say it was a distraction i don't know but really helped as ended up giving birth within 7 hours on gas and air and tens machine only and it was my first baby, and had no tears or stiches xxx
  • I second that the Tens was a distraction more than pain relief but it was the only pain relief I used up until pushing.

    I used the Elle Tens!
  • I bought a brand new labour TENS machine from Lloyds Pharmacy, and it broke just after being put on, rendering it useless and leaving me with no pain relief until I arrived at hospital fully dilated! I'd recommend that you don't buy one from them, and go for the ones that Feebs has recommended to you image

    Mine broke too!!! I was about 7-8cm by that stage mind and about to go in the birthing pool but I was so cross. Have you taken yours back??

    On if they work - I *think* mine did - was a definite distraction anyway and if I have another baby I will def use a TENS machine again - not a lloyds one mind!!!

    :\)

    I haven't even thought about taking it back yet! I intend to contact them soon though, as my son is 4months old now, so better get on with it! Lucky that yours lasted that long! lol
  • Tubbs, have you had a look at the nature's gate website, they have them to rent even if you're overseas. My midwife recommended them to me, but I am in the UK. Just hired mine today as I'm 37 wk tomorrow (like to leave it last minute!) and she said it would come Thurs/Fri. x
  • my Lloyds one was soooo fab- I got to 8cm at home by myself with it!! x
  • Yes I would defo reccomend a tens. I used the Elle Babycare during my 1st labour. The important thing is timing when you start using it when you are at the very beginig stage of labour then it gives your body a chance to adjust to it. I used mine while I was at home and by the time I got to the hospital I was 5cm dialted. x

    Kay x
    **Everyone needs to either save or make money!**
    To find out how you can both, visit www.triple-value.co.uk
  • I used one but did not think it was that great, although most of my family have and think they're great. We hired one instead of buying one. There are a few places that do it. One that I know sent one to Australia! If you buy one be careful to make sure it is a labour specialised one as they do differ. It may be best to go to a specialist baby tens machine hire specialist like http://www.babyTENS.net

    or http://www.Boots.com
  • It shows how different everyone is, i borrowed one from the hospital and didn't think it helped at all, and as my contractions ramped up I thought it made them worse! That's just me though!

    Good luck with your labour! image
  • Hi there, my friend gave me her Lloyds labour tens machine but as it has now been discontinued I can't find instructions online for it. I don't suppose you remember how to use it and could give me some pointers?

  • Hi there, my friend gave me her Lloyds pharmacy labour tens machine but she had lost the instructions. As it has been discontinued I can't find the instructions for it online. I don't suppose you could give me some pointers on how to use it?

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