Archive for the ‘TENS Machines for Labour’ Category
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010
It was going to be our first birth. When we saw those two little lines appear on the pregnancy test we were thrilled as we had been trying for just under a year to conceive, yet it didn’t start to feel real until we saw that little heartbeat on our first scan. Then with the first few kicks things got much more real but it wasn’t until our birth classes that we really felt that the big day was close.
In the classes they went through all the things one may experience in the hospital and all the pain relief options that would probably be available. I loved the idea of the birthing pool so decide to investigate a birthing centre as opposed to delivering in an actual hospital. After a bit of research, a few calls and a couple of visits, we were booked in at our local birthing centre.
The special day arrived, my contractions seemed to appear out of nowhere. My waters hadn’t broken and I had no show. My contractions at this stage were 6 minutes apart, 30 seconds each and very bearable. I exclaimed to my husband “Gosh if they stay like this for a while I wont need any pain relief for ages!” However, he reminded me that the TENS machine was most effective if you used it from the beginning of labour. So he placed the electrodes of my snazzy looking Elle TENS on my back. It felt very comfortable especially with the unit around my neck. I got into a good rhythm…contraction…BOOST…and relax…contraction…BOOST…and relax. It felt like a warm massage and worked quite well with me bouncing on my yoga ball also.
The contractions seemed to be getting stronger but i remained feeling in control. We decided to go to the birthing centre. I continued with the TENS machine in the car which was very helpful as it gave me a focus whilst not being in my favourite position.
Once at the birthing centre, they checked me and saw that I was 5cm and said I can go into the birthing pool now. But I didn’t want to. Although the contractions had got more painful, I felt like I was getting great relief from the TENS machine and that I was still very much in control of my pain.
Over the next couple of hours I walked and bent on all fours through the contractions starting each one with a BOOST on my TENS machine. The midwife asked me again if I wanted to get in the birthing pool as that was the main part of my birthing plan but I didn’t, I was doing so well with my Elle TENS.
Things began to get more intense, the midwife checked me again and I was 81/2 cms. I decided to introduce the Opti Max…WOW what a boost of extra energy! I was amazed! It really did give that bit more required for the end.
All of a sudden I felt the urge to squat and push. The midwives presented a birthing stool which abled me to remain upright and in a very encouraging position for the baby to come down quickly. I couldn’t believe that the TENS machine got me all the way to this point. I kept using it throughout the pushing stage. Finally, after a big push the midwives smiled and said “Yes!The head is here!Well done!”…after a few more pushes, my very first, delicious baby flew out in a heap. I couldn’t believe it! I’d done it and TOTALLY naturally! I was over the moon. I think at that stage I was more elated by having a natural birth with just my Elle TENS than having a beautiful little girl!
If I have another baby I will definitely use the Elle TENS machine – it was incredible!
Tags: childbirth, elle tens, labour, maternity tens machine, pain relief
Posted in Elle TENS - for the digital lady who likes control, TENS Machines for Labour | No Comments »
Monday, April 19th, 2010
Our Femme TENS machine is for the lady who likes to be in control but prefers analogue to digital. It doesn’t have as many options as the Elle TENS machine but still has a large intensity range, boost button and the ability to affect one pair of pads and not the other.
For those who find dials quicker to use and more effective, this TENS machine is for them. There are two dials which adjust the speed and depth of the pulses and a removable boost button if you find that you don’t require it during the early stages of labour. If you know that your gown will have a belt this has a belt clip so will be fully suitable.
Tags: childbirth, elle tens, femme tens, labour, obstetric, TENS hire
Posted in Femme TENS - manual and in control. | No Comments »
Sunday, April 18th, 2010
Our Elle TENS machine is for the ‘digital generation’ lady who doesn’t get flustered by options; on the contrary, she likes to be in control. This TENS has many effective options to relieve her pain yet is not complicated and overwhelming. This Elle TENS machine has it all and more.
As with the other TENS machine, this one also has two main controls being a ‘burst’ mode for in between contractions and a ‘boost’ mode for during a contraction. When labour commences one is recommended to start with the burst1 and boost 1 option, tailored to those first stage contractions, encouraging your body to produce its’ own natural pain killing chemicals called Endorphins and Encephalitis. When things get more intense one can shift to the burst 2 and boost 2 option.
However, unlike the other TENS machine, this Elle TENS machine also has an extra facility called Opti-max which gives extra power for those more difficult times often experienced at the end of labour. Therefore with its greater power range and Opti-max feature, it’s perfect for that first birth which is often more gradual and longer than consecutive births or someone who knows they have a low pain threshold.
Another function is the ability to apply more power to one side of the body and not the other. This is a fabulous option as labour pains can often shift around the body. If one has experienced sciatica during pregnancy or any other pain in a specific area, then it’s very possible that this area will require more power than other areas so this feature is great for that.
Additional functions are pre-set modes for more easy use, a neck cord for mobility and also a rotating belt clip. This is a fabulous hire or buy!
Tags: contraction, elle tens, Endorphins, labour, maternity tens machine, obstetric, pain relief, pregnant, sciatica
Posted in Elle TENS - for the digital lady who likes control | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
The Lady TENS machine is for the woman who needs absolute simplicity and no fuss. Unlike the other TENS machine there are only two controls and everything else is pre-set. One is a dial controlling the intensity of the ‘constant’ pulses and the other is a booster button pressed at the onset of a contraction. The intensity levels of this machine are a little less than the other units so this may also be good for the lady who has had a couple of births already and knows that labour is not so intense for her (yes they exist!).
If you’ve visited the hospital where you’re giving birth and know the gowns have belts, this is ideal as it has a strong belt clip so there’s no need to carry it! It’s also our cheapest hire and buy if you’re strapped for cash.
Tags: childbirth, labour, lady tens, maternity tens machine, obstetric
Posted in Lady TENS - simple and no fuss. | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
The Obi TENS machine is for the ‘digital generation’ lady but who still needs things to be straight forward and fairly basic.
There are only three controls which are soft buttons located in the centre of the unit. One is a ‘booster’ button pressed at the beginning of a contraction and the other two are called ‘burst’ buttons which increase or decrease the intensity of the ‘constant’ pulses in between contractions. For those who prefer soft, non fiddly buttons to dials and a digital interface this is perfect. Its’ intensity levels are also a little higher than those of the Lady TENS machine so perfect for that first birth by a lady who requires ultimate simplicity.
It’s also very good for those ladies who know that their hospital gown will not have belts or pockets as this lightweight TENS machine has a cord that can be worn loosely around the neck (it does however also have a belt clip if ever required). However, even if your gown will have pockets or a belt, this neck cord provides extra mobility which is appreciated by many of our clientele. As this TENS machine can only be bought it’s an excellent option for those planning on having a couple of births. In addition to this, as it can only be bought and not hired, the company made it extra useful in that it can be used for post labour pain relief too. It’s fabulous for shoulder, neck and back pain relief which can sometimes last anywhere from a week to a couple of months after childbirth. It’s also effective for menstrual pain relief which is an excellent addition for those ladies who get cramps before or during their periods. And if you thought that was it, you’d be wrong, it’s also adequate for general pain relief although we recommend our regular TENS machine which can be viewed at our sister site.
Overall, an all round highly effective, simple yet ergonomical TENS machine.
Tags: childbirth, labour, obi tens, obstetric, pain relief, pregnant, tens machine
Posted in Obi TENS - simple yet digital. | No Comments »
Wednesday, April 14th, 2010
Suiting things to your personality seems all the rage these days.
Psychometric tests indicate what careers you’re destined for, Facebook and Google are crammed with quizzes and tests demonstrating ‘What is your perfect pet?’, ‘What type of friends should you socialise with?’, ‘Which car will suit you most?’, ‘Which plant will suit you least?’…the list goes on. However, I have not yet found a personality test for pregnant women! Why should they reap different results I hear you cry?…Oh didn’t you know women totally change as soon as they get pregnant?…Just ask their other halves!…Ok, so not everyone totally changes but on a more serious note, it is true that pregnant women do require a few alternative things to what they did before – different clothes, different foods, different ways of relaxing, each different for each woman. One thing on a pregnant woman’s mind is her choice of pain relief in labour and childbirth. Many women choose to use a Babycare TENS machine. The question is which one do you choose?
As you have probably seen on our Babycare TENS website we have a selection of TENS machine for labour and childbirth to hire and buy. They are the Obi TENS, Femme TENS, Lady TENS and Elle TENS, all effective but all slightly different to suit the different needs of our clientele. Here are some suggestions as to what in each are likely to suit whom.
Tags: babycare tens, childbirth, elle tens, femme tens, lady tens, obi tens, obstetric, TENS hire, tens machine hire
Posted in Which TENS will suit you best? | No Comments »
|
|
|
