Archive for April, 2010
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 »
Wednesday, April 21st, 2010
You and your partner are sitting at the table having dinner. All of a sudden she exclaims “What’s that?”, you answer “What?”, she replies “That trickling of water down my leg?”
Her waters have just broken and after 20 minutes her contractions begin. Both of you are excited, nervous and curious of how this labour/childbirth experience is going to pan out.
You notice that your wife goes into organisation mode, getting out the yoga ball, CD player and calming CD, ensuring her water and sweets are at hand and that the TENS machine and electrodes are on the table. She suddenly starts bouncing on the yoga ball, you ask her if she’s practising or having an actual contraction…she doesn’t answer, you reason that she’s gone into that inward focus thing you both heard about in the Childbirth classes.
Midst all this she hasn’t asked you to put the TENS machine electrodes on her, YET this is the crucial time when to get them in place. Once you are sure that your partner has completed the contraction, demonstrated by a relaxation from bouncing on the yoga ball and a general look of ‘I’m not in pain any more’, suggest you put the electrodes on her straight away. The sooner the TENS machine gets to work the better as it takes a little time for it to stimulate one’s own natural pain killing chemicals and the TENS machine is developed to follow the stages of your labour starting from the beginning.
It’s best that you and your partner, prior to labour, have a verbal agreement that you, the husband, are going to suggest early on to put the electrodes on her, therefore if she’s very focussed and you’re getting the feeling she doesn’t want you to interfere then you’ll know THIS was definitely pre-agreed.
Tags: childbirth, labour, maternity tens machine, tens electrode
Posted in Electrodes | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
TENS machine are fantastic pieces of equipment helping so many women throughout their labour. However, wrong application and re-application of electrodes can result in a less effective experience. Here are a few pointers of how to get the best results from your electrodes:
APPLICATION OF ELECTRODES
- Before applying or removing your electrodes ALWAYS ensure your unit is switched off.
- Clean the area where you wish to apply the electrodes with soap and water, rinse off and then dry well. You should have had the option of buying a pre-TENS application gel when you purchased your TENS machine, if you do not have this you can purchase it separately off the Babycaretens site.
- BEFORE peeling the electrode pads off their packet, remove the wires from the TENS machine and attach the electrode connectors to them. A mistake is to attach the electrodes to you first, this is NOT a shortcut, they will be pulled and stretched and wear away fast.
- Grip the edge of the electrode and carefully peel it off the packet. Retain the packet in a clean bag for storage. Dirty packets will negatively affect your electrodes when placed back onto them.
- Place the electrodes with the wires hanging down to the appropriate area. When applying them, place the centre of the electrode onto the skin first and then smooth down the electrode edges. Attach all electrodes to your skin then attach the wires to the TENS machine.
REMOVAL OF ELECTRODES
- Switch off the TENS unit and disconnect the wires from the unit.
- Remove the electrodes by carefully peeling from the electrode edge.
- Return to the packet, centre first and smoothing the edges, just the same way you placed them on your skin.
- Disconnect the electrode connectors from the TENS machine’s wires.
- Store in a re-sealable bag in a cool place out of direct sunlight.
RE-APPLYING ELECTRODES
- If the adhesive becomes over-saturated, allow the electrodes to air dry in a refrigerator with the adhesive side up until the gel retains its tackiness and use your spares. To avoid this it is best to ensure that the skin is always fully dry.
- If the electrode adhesive appears too dry, add a few drops of water and allow to rest at room temperature until tacky.
If you have found this helpful or have any questions please feel free to comment.
Tags: childbirth, labour, tens electrode
Posted in Getting the Best Results from your Electrodes | No Comments »
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
If you have already had a child and had the privilege of using a TENS machine then you need not read further. If this is your first time using a TENS machine then you won’t know how it works and how the different options feel.
“Many studies have revealed that a sense of control is a major contributing factor to a woman’s birth experience and her subsequent well-being.” PubMed, 2003.
It has been discovered that women who feel more in control in labour are calmer, less tense and therefore more comfortable. A TENS machine is a precious unit that can instill a real sense of control and calm yet if one doesn’t know how to use it before labour, some of it’s advantages can be masked.
We therefore recommend to try out your TENS machine before use. One must not use it on the back but can try it on the forearm and get a very good feel for the different pulse sensations and an overall satisfying grasp of their TENS. All one needs to do is place the electrodes on their forearm as opposed to their back, read the instructions manual and start getting familiar. We suggest people buy two packs of electrodes, one for practise and one for the big day.
If you have done this before and felt this experience or article was helpful, please feel free to comment.
Tags: childbirth, labour, maternity tens machine, obstetric, pain relief, pregnant, tens electrode, TENS hire
Posted in Electrodes | 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 »
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