A maternity TENS machine is a small, battery-powered unit that sends gentle electrical pulses through four pads placed on your lower back. It is drug-free, you control it yourself, and it leaves you free to stand, walk and change position through labour. In Australia it is one of the few forms of pain relief you can start using at home, before you leave for the hospital or birth centre.
How a maternity TENS machine works
The pads sit either side of your spine, over the nerve roots that carry sensation from the uterus and cervix. Between contractions the unit runs a low, continuous pulse that most people describe as a steady tingling or buzzing. When a contraction starts you press the boost button in your hand, which lifts the intensity; you release it as the contraction fades.
That boost button is the part that matters. It gives you something to do with each contraction and something to control, which is why many people keep using it even once other pain relief is available.
When you can start using one
- From 37 weeks. Maternity TENS is intended for use from 37 weeks of pregnancy. Do not use it earlier, and do not place pads on your abdomen at any stage of pregnancy, without advice from your midwife or doctor.
- Have it by week 36. Most people buy or hire the unit a few weeks ahead so it is charged, tested and packed in the hospital bag rather than being ordered once labour starts.
- Start early in labour. The usual advice is to put it on as soon as contractions become regular, rather than waiting until things are intense. It is easier to stay ahead of the sensation than to catch up.
Using it during labour
- Placement: two pads at bra-strap level either side of the spine, two lower down at about dimple level. Have your partner or midwife check the pads are even and firmly stuck to clean, dry skin.
- Build up gradually: turn the intensity up slowly as labour progresses. A comfortable strong tingle is the target; it should never be sharp or painful.
- It works alongside other options: a TENS machine does not rule out gas and air or anything else later. Talk to your midwife about the order you want to try things in.
- Take it off before water: the unit and pads must be removed before a bath, shower or water birth.
- Tell your midwife it is on when you arrive, particularly if an epidural or continuous monitoring is being considered, so pads can be repositioned or removed.
Choosing a unit
- Perfect MamaTENS is the standard maternity unit: a boost button, a built-in contraction timer so you can tell your midwife how frequent and how long they are, and four pads. If you want one machine that does one job well, this is it.
- Perfect Mama Plus adds programmes you can also use for back discomfort in late pregnancy and after the birth, so the unit keeps earning its place once labour is over.
- Replacement pads and leads are worth adding if the machine is borrowed, second-hand or has been in a cupboard for a while. Electrode gel dries out, and pads that will not stick are the one failure that matters on the day.
After the birth
Once labour is over, attention usually turns to recovering pelvic floor strength and to feeding. Our pelvic floor exercisers are used for postnatal bladder weakness, and the Maternity & Baby range covers breast pumps and the practical items for the early months. General-purpose TENS machines cover back and joint discomfort later on.
Who should not use TENS in labour
Speak to your doctor or midwife before using a TENS machine if you have a pacemaker or another implanted electrical device, epilepsy, or a heart condition. Do not place pads over broken or irritated skin, over the front of the neck, or on the abdomen during pregnancy.
Always read the label and follow the directions for use. If you are unsure whether a maternity TENS machine is right for your pregnancy, ask your midwife or obstetrician.