You wrote:
Yes Deb, you're right, TENS is only used in some areas routinely, mainly because there are limitations on its use supervised by midwives.... it's regarded as a physiotherapist"s area of expertise.
But surely it doesn't need supervision by midwives (or does it here in Aus?) What are the limitations?
In the UK, parents hire (or even buy) units from the manufacturer or go to the big chemist stores (e.g. Boots) who also provide them - midwives have nothing to do with it (nor physio's) - although they will usually be demonstrated during antenatal classes. The NCT also hire them out. They hire them from about 35 weeks and return them after the baby is born. As I am sure they know, they are most effective if used from early labour and need at least 45 minutes to increase endorphin levels - so mums need to be able to use them at home - before they get anywhere near a midwife or a hospital.
I used one in my first labour, but as my first indication of labour was rupture of the membranes followed by strong contractions within half an hour, I was never able to build up the endorphin levels, but the electrical stimulation certainly had some blocking effect on the pain, and it was a great distraction mechanism (bit too much when the dial got turned up too high early on :-))
Can parents not get hold of them directly here?
Debbie
