Hi everyone, hope you and bumps are all doing well.

Just wanted to let you know, if your considering giving a Tens Machine a go and didn't really want to buy one then i have just placed an order to hire one.

They send it to you a month before you're due date and you can keep it for 7 weeks ( so you have it 3 weeks after due date too ) and if you need it any longer they wont charge you extra like some companies do, as long as you give them a call to say baby hasn't arrived yet then they're happy to let you keep hold of it, it's also free postage to return it back to them aswell.

Total cost, depending on what unit you go for....for 7 weeks hire comes to around £25/£30

Not bad i thought?! - www.tens.co.uk

Hi

I'm at the midwife tomorrow and was going to ask the hospital's policy on these - they gave my friend one to use when she had her daughter four years ago, but not sure on the availability so had thought about hiring one. Thanks for the tip!

K x

i've seen these advertised all over baby magazines but what are they and what do they actually do??? hope you're well x

hi all....hope u don't mind me butting it, i'm not longer "expecting a baby", had my baby 3 weeks ago. I used a tens machine while in labour, luckily, the hospital had one and let me use it, so didn't have to pay any hire charge. It doesn't take away the pain, but it does help, and its something else to focus on other than the pain. From what i can remember, it sends little pulses in between contractions, and when u feel a contraction coming, u press a button, and the pulses increase. Its a bit like one of those things you stick to ur stomach to tone up.

I agree with kellyjaq, the tens machine doesn't take away the pain but certainely distracts you from it. I bought one and have since used it on my back, is quite good for lower back ache, so worth the money.

Hi Lynni.

I'm fine thaks, hope you are too?!

A tens machine is a small unit you can wear while in labour to help with the pain, ( which leaves you free to move around )

It's drug free so has no side effects on mum or baby and i think i'm right in saying that it sends tiny pulses in through your skin to your nerve endings, stopping the pain signals from reaching your brain therefore increasing your body to produce it's own natural pain killers....you have full control on how strong or weak you have the power set to aswell!!!!

Apparently although you can use it all through labour it's a good thing to have at home before you go to hospital, because the early in labour you use it the more it helps with the pain.

I'd like to stay at home for as long as poss so thought i'd give it a go!

Hope that helps x

oooh that sound like a good idea, think i might look into them, thanx for replying xxx

i just bought a TENS machine today, from babies r us for 39.99, small, seems simple enough, i'm due in 4 1/2 weeks, so i'll let you guys know how it goes and if the machine is as good as people say.