TENS Pain relief
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Category: Pregnant
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URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30440
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Topic: TENS Pain relief
Posted By: RicKer
Subject: TENS Pain relief
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 12:54pm
| I was just wondering if there are any ladies that have used TENS before or know of anybody that has? Whats it like? Was it very effective? |
Replies:
Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 12:58pm
There was a thread about this recently: http://www.ohbaby.co.nz/Forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=30368&KW=tens - tens during labour  Do you have any specific questions? As in the other thread I used one during early lanbour.-------------  
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Posted By: RicKer
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 1:02pm
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Where did you hire yours from? Do they make labour longer at all? I'm just looking into it atm because i really don't want to use gas or an epidural but want something to make it easier. Ill go look at that link too
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Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 1:13pm
I hired mine from a chemist in west auckland, but waitakere hospital also lend them out (although they only let you pick them up once you're in labour  ), but maybe your hospital might do them, or phone around some pharmacies to see if they do?
The tens machine works by helping to release endorphins in your body, so will have no effect on the duration of labour. It can take about an hour of slowly ramping it up to really get the pain relief working. I did keep forgetting to push the boost button when a contraction came on, so it might have been more effective had i done that! You can't use them if you want to use a bath/pool, as generally they're not waterproof, although some waterproof sticky pads could be enough to cover the wires etc if you just wanted to have a shower. I took mine off when I hopped into the pool, and did also have some gas in the pool too. Overall, I think I'd use it again next time - don't really have a comparison as to the effectiveness as once I hopped into the pool my labour was kicked up a gear (so don't really know if part of that was taking the tens off, or just everything speeding up).  -------------
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Posted By: RicKer
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 1:47pm
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Okay that's helpful - thank you I have found one place that hire them and its $169 for a month and you get $100 back once its returned in one piece. I will check with the hospital too. I wish i could have a water birth but i'm not allowed this time round.
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Posted By: blondy
Date Posted: 11 December 2009 at 3:15pm
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Good luck! I didn't have a water birth, but was in the pool for 2-3 hours and that itself was enough to fully dilate/transition (from 3cm getting into the pool) so I *just* had to deliver Nat once out of the pool. It's definitely worth trying to include some water into your pain relief options, especially if you want to avoid the drugs! -------------
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Posted By: tiptoes
Date Posted: 13 December 2009 at 6:59pm
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I tried one, but only for about an hour and ripped it off as I didn't feel like it was doing anything. I might not have given it enough of a chance though.
One of my friends used that as her only form of pain relief and thought it was wonderful so worth a shot. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com">  
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Posted By: gossamer
Date Posted: 16 December 2009 at 8:42pm
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Chelle I agree completely, had the same experience, but some people love it...i think it must be one of those things you have to try to know if it will work for you or not. ------------- T (6) A (2) Our angel baby Sep 2011 http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: RicKer
Date Posted: 17 December 2009 at 10:02pm
| How much did yours cost to hire? |
Posted By: Nutella
Date Posted: 18 December 2009 at 12:47am
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Lucky me, all I have to do is buy the pad things that you stick on and the hospital provides the machine...seems to be the in thing here? ------------- 
 Oct 11
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