TENS for natural childbirth - any problems?

[anabel111]

Hi, it's been suggested to me that TENS should be avoided, as it works on electric 'shocks' and this is still intrusive, and not great for the baby.

does anyone have any information or thoughts about this?

Baby due Jan 29th, so I'm keen to hear soon!!

Anabel

[redcrx]

Not quite electric shocks as most people will think. It sends electrical pulses and these in turn get the body creating endorphins which are a form of pain relief.
Its a very popular form of pain relief in labour but really must be put on at the first signs of contractions and labour as it gives the body a chance to build up the endorphins.
I used one and found it good, whether it was the endorphins or the fact that i could concentrate on the pulses and take my mind of worrying about the next contraction. I only used it until i got into a bath so i couldnt tell you how much longer it would have worked for but i was about 4cms when i turned it off and i wasnt in any pain.

[Panic Button]

My wife used one and said she thought it helped, but said it might have been psychological, as it gave her the feeling she could at least do something.

[unruliejulie]

I think they're absolutely fine for early labour but not much use when it gets going to be honest.
I dont think there are any health implications for using a tens machine, not that ive ever heard of anyway. All the best for the birth x

[redcrx]

Just to add, there are no known side effects although you should not use them if you have certain medical conditions.
Also they are not to be used prior to 37 weeks gestation and before labour starts should not be used, although they can be tested on the arm.

[Octavius]

TENS units are quite safe providing you use common sense and the safety guidelines. The electrodes should only be used where instructed and should never be placed on the temples (of the head), in the mouth or on the front of the neck etc. It is also recommended that the electrodes are not placed over the area of the uterus because the effects of electrical stimulation (not shock) to the developing foetus is not known.

The effectiveness is down to personal experience, although a friend had a baby last year and said that they really helped, most notably when her husband turned the unit off at her request only to scream at him to turn it back on! My wife is hiring one shortly.

[redcrx]

as octavius has pointed out, many women dont think the tens are that effective, until someone turns it off, then you notice the difference.

[Pippa68]

I went into major labour pretty much straight away, so TENS wasn't that good for me at all ~ with or without it made no difference :o(

I have heard lots of positive stories about TENS though, ranging from giving lots of help with pain relief, to not so much pain relief but gives the labouring woman something to do to try & keep their minds of it a little..as well as the feeling of control.

[Goodsoulette]

helped with my first cause he was back to back so that where my contractions were (in my back htat is) but was of no use for the second. My mum is a midwife and says it is non~intrusive. I had tens, pethadine, gas and air and finally an epidural during my first labour as it was 2 days long. The only one I wouldnt recommend would be the pethadine injection.

[unruliejulie]

i agree about the pethadine Goodsoulette. My baby slept for hours upon end after the birth, he didnt feed and i didnt get to hold him until at least 12 hours later. Not right. That was the one form of pain control i was adamant that i didnt want with my 2nd.

[Octavius]

Goods, why the pethadine? Is it because of the potential to have memory lapses? I would have though the epidural was possibly the one to be most wary of? Just asking out of interest as wife is expecting at the end of Feb. ta.

[Pippa68]

I was given a shot of pethidine during my 2nd labour. Little did the midwife know I was going to go to fully dilated just minutes later!

The pethidine didn't kick in until after my son was born ~ I slept for hours.

[Goodsoulette]

Pethadine, can slow the labour down (although it can also speed it up in rare cases because it relaxes), pethadine can make the baby lazy, often slowing the babies breathing and heartbeat right down, babies often need a little time on the table after the mother has had pethadine. After a shot of pethadine I got stuck at 7 centimetres for 12 hours.... it was horrible.