Did you use Tens Machines or have a Waterbirth

If so please discuss here....

I'm starting to consider these options for bump.

With Georgia-Mae i had no opton for waterbirth and thought it all a bit too airy fairy anyway back when i was 21.

I had Gas and Air which made me horrendously sick and out of it - and then the anaesthitist tried to do an epidural which thankfully never worked and wasn't even inserted . (long story)

So any experiences or advice is welcome...

xxx

i had just gas and air - which didn't make me sick but also didn't work (because i was too panicked to take deep breaths of it)

i was hoping to hire a tens machine but ive left it too late now

I wanted a water birth with my DD. I laboured for 30hr at home and everything looked fine, was having baths which helped. My waters broke and all looked fine. Midwife even said i could stay at home and try for a homebirth if i wanted. As it was my 1st and DF was worried, i went to the hospital. They ran the birth pool for me and i was just going to get in when they did another internal to see how far along i was. The midwife then noticed meconium and said she wanted to put me on the monitor for 1/2hr first. To cut a very long story short i ended up having an emergency c-section, so no water birth. With DS i would have loved a water birth but due to the c-section i had to be constantly monitored so i couldn't, i opted for a tens machine which i used for the entire labour. Towards the end (8cm) i used the gas and air too. I thought the tens wasn't doing a lot at first but when i took it off i realised how much it was helping as the contractions seemed much more painful so the tens went straight back on! I loved it, DF was pressing the boost button towards the end though as i wasn't very co-ordinated and he was watching the monitor i was on so could see when i was getting a contraction. I couldn't recommend it more. There is no side effects and it really helped. You do have to put it on at the start of your labour though as it helps build your own pain endorphins which takes time to happen. Sorry it was such a long reply hun, i hope whatever you decide helps for you. Don't try and be a martyr is all i can say. If you feel you need more help ie. epidural or drugs then ask for it. They certainly have their place, i mean you wouldn't have a tooth pulled with no pain relief! Whatever you are comfortable with is the way to go! Xx Xx

How do a water birth work?

Elin said:
How do a water birth work?

Hi hun, basically some hospitals (most now actually) have a birthing pool area (usually at least one) sometimes these are in delivery rooms themselves, sometimes they are in a seperate area. They are like a very big round bath. The water is kept at a constant temperature (body temperature) so as not to distress the baby from too much or little heat and comes to just above your bump. They are big enough for you to move around into different positions in and are used as a drug-free way of obtaining pain relief during labour. You can choose to actually deliver in the pool or just use as pain relief and then deliver elsewhere? Hope this helps? Xx

meant to say it is also possible to hire a birthing pool in the event of a homebirth! Xx

i havent had a water birth or tens but i understand that they work fine.

a lady i know from another forum had her 5th child at home in water and she shouts from the rooftops how great it is!

I used a TENs machine and it was absolutely fantastic for me

As has already been said, it needs to be put on at the beginning of labour, I was straight into full swing with my labour, contractions were 5 mins apart by the time I got it on but it was still brill.

I was planning on using gas & air for when I had to push...but it turned up after I gave birth lol!!!

Some people don't like the feel the tens gives but I found it a pleasant distraction from the pain.

I hired mine off the boots website and it arrived for when I turned 37 weeks.

soup said:
i had just gas and air - which didn't make me sick but also didn't work (because i was too panicked to take deep breaths of it)

i was hoping to hire a tens machine but ive left it too late now

How about buying one - argo sell one of the recommended ones and then you could always pop it on ebay afterwards??

I think i'm going to invest in a tens - i mean it can do no harm trying can it???

Thanks for the advice girls - as usual very appreciated! xx

mum2popsnjak said:

Elin said:
How do a water birth work?

Hi hun, basically some hospitals (most now actually) have a birthing pool area (usually at least one) sometimes these are in delivery rooms themselves, sometimes they are in a seperate area. They are like a very big round bath. The water is kept at a constant temperature (body temperature) so as not to distress the baby from too much or little heat and comes to just above your bump. They are big enough for you to move around into different positions in and are used as a drug-free way of obtaining pain relief during labour. You can choose to actually deliver in the pool or just use as pain relief and then deliver elsewhere? Hope this helps? Xx

Thanks, it did help. Maybe should look that up

You can hire from babytens for 6 weeks including free delivery and returns.