Tens

[onlyAngil]

Dose any one own/ or is renting one; were did you get/ rent it?

I fig. weather I have a home or hosp. birth I would like to use one of these, but all the sites I can find are from the UK. I do not want to think about the shipping... any ideas?

[dani76]

I own one! I got it when I was in a car accident a few years back. I tried to sell it on here for awhile, but no one ever bought it. It's this one. I would love to sell it, pm me if you're interested.

[guestmama9904]

i am interested in the efficacy of the tens units. what exactly do they do to help with pain/ perception of pain in labour? i am planning on my next birth being a home birth and have heard about these things as being a decent option for non-medicated pain relief.

when i was in labour the nurse-midwife's tried an experimental pain relieving technique where they shot tiny bits of saline water with these little syringes underneath the skin near my sacrum (i had intense back labour and my son had face up presentation). it was completly intradermal, did not go into my bloodstream and also, did not help one bit! lol. but at least it was not a drug.

[JamieCatheryn]

It's based on gate control theory. Nerve gates in the spinal cord open to allow pain messages through or close to block some or all of them. Stimulating the A-alpha or A-beta (muscle sensation or skin sensation respectively) is suppose the block C fiber information, that is aching pain. Studies find TENS safe in labor and sometimes quite effective, sometimes not. Who here has used it, what was your experience?

[Rockies5]

:

I've been looking at the ones specific for use in labor for awhile now and plan to buy a unitl to use and rent.

I'm als interested in hearing from people who have used one for labor.

They only sell them in the UK from what I gather. I think it's another worthwhile tool to have, like a tub for laboring in.

Good to have, who knows if you'll want to get in or what sort of relief it will allow youin the course of your labor?

[kythe]

In the US, they are available by prescription only as far as I know. I used to work in a physical therapy clinic and have seen people use them to manage chronic back pain. Many people swear by them. I'm not sure why it's not more readily available, since I've never heard of any side effects.

I had back labor with both of mine, I literally felt nothing but back pain. I would love to have used one. If I had it to do over again, I think I would be a bit more pushy with doctors and see if I couldn't get one prescribed. Even if insurance didn't pay for it, I would be willing to. It's just that most Americans are unfamiliar with the use of TENS units for labor, and are not open to the idea.

Arismama, I have heard of the sterile water papules you are describing. There used to be a midwife at my birth center who promoted it, but I was too chicken after hearing that most people have pain upon insertion. However, I read a Swedish study that indicated they are effective to some degree in 90% of patients. Despite this, its another med-free pain relief concept not common in America.

[carbar]

Hi,
I have used an obstetric TENS unit for both my labors. I found it very useful in the early stages when I used it mainly as a distraction and something to "do" to help me through each contraction. It definitely helped and I found the contractions when I didn't press the magic boost button much more painful. It was less helpful during the later stages and I took it off both times when it became more of an annoyance than a help (and you can't use them in the water anyway).

My first birth was in Australia where most hospitals will hire out an obstetric unit and run a little instructional class to help you get the most out of them. I recently had my son in the US and was unable to get hold of one here at all (to hire or buy). Luckily my MIL from the UK was coming over for the birth and she organized the hire of one there and brought it over with her for me to use.
The hospital staff had never seen or heard of one before, and were a bit bemused, although very interested in how it worked.

I would definitely recommend an obstetric unit if you can get hold of one, as I don't think a constant pulse of a normal TENS would be any help - you need the background pulse in between contractions with the boost button during contractions.

[Kikwembe]

I'm a doula, and have seen used them in labor. I think they're great up until transition..it gives another sensation for the mind to hone in on rather than contractions, and I've found it helpful for mothers who have a more cerebral approach towards birth. Fiddling with the settings seems to be a good distraction for some mothers, because they can focus on finding the right "buzz" rather than thinking about "pain".

I think I'd start to shirt myself slowly from usings the TENS as a comfort measure to something else as I seemed to near transition, so you don't have the rug pulled from under you with nothing to fall back on, so to speak. I've found going from the TENS to a warm tub is a good route, if the timing's right.

I know you can rent them from some hospital supply stores.