anybody use a Tens Machine

I just ordered mine today and was wondering are they good or will i end up screaming for an Epidural. I had an Epidural on my first and didnt like the way i felt afterwards and i went through my second labour without anything but i really dont think i'll manage again without anything. So i decided to order the Tens Machine have read up about it but just wondering if anyone else used it and found it good.

Hi babybop, I used the tens machine and gas and air for DD2 and I found the tens machine surprisingly good. When I first put it on I felt like it would not work at all and I almost threw it accross the room but after a while it does seem to work! I had never used one before and made the mistake of turning the button up to the max and I got a bit of a fright but you are supposed to start of slowly and then turn it up according to when you need it.

I used it on my first...didn't find it of any use, eventually my midwife convinced me to give it up!!

Thanks girls for your feed back hopefully it works really dont want to get the Epi but i know you never know what might happen in Labour so i might not have a choice.

Hi! I used it on my last ds and I have to say I found it great. My midwife had told me to try it out before so I would know where best to put the pads and I'd have a feel for the settings. Worked great till the end but I don't think anything gets you through the last few minutes and you can't have an epi at that stage

so do you bring your own one into the hospital with you? My cousin is lending me hers but i'm not sure if I bring it with my or will the hospital provide one? I'm going to the Rotunda

I think you need to bring your own one. I've bought one that I'm going to bring with me.

I know in the Coombe you have to bring your own and its probably the same in most hospitals. I think you also need to know how to work it yourself as I think there is some legal reason that midwifes can't show you if you are using it wrong during labour. We have hired one and are hoping to use it whenever our baby decides to make an appearance.

I did the Domino scheme and the midwife gave me one (as a lend!) You can hire them from boots. The one I used was babycare tens, and it was brill here is the web site http://www.babycaretens.com/ I got the pads from the web site. Make sure the pads are very big so you will get the full effect. For back pain the pads are much smaller.

thanks, will pack mine so