Birth Stories
We had a Q & A with new mum, Chloe
We had a Q and A with new mum Chloe Talk to us about how your labour started and progressed and how you managed through the contractions. I started feeling some niggles at around 2am and asked my husband to put the TENS pads on my back just in case they got worse. He then began recording my contractions down. At around 5am the contractions were a minute long and 3 minutes apart and my midwife arrived to tell me I was 4cm dilated and needed to head towards the birthing centre before traffic started. I would not have been able to get through the car ride without the TENS machine as it was around a 40 minute journey and by this time my contractions were pretty intense. By the time I got to the centre I was 7cm dilated and everything was happening quick and fast and I didn't have any time to ask for gas but was managing pretty well with the TENS in one hand and my husband's hand in the other. I was then able to manage my pain until the final moments before going into the water to deliver our baby girl. I cannot rave any more about the TENS machine and truly believe it made my labour easier. Because of it I was able to have a completely natural birth free from any intervention and injuries. What a magical introduction to pregnancy and labour! What else helped you during labour? I had my husband with me which was a huge support and he could see from the way I was using the TENS machine when I was having a contraction as I would press the button. He then knew when to hold my hand and offer encouragement as we has discussed before the birth. Would you have done anything differently for your labour? Nothing at all except drink more water when I started contractions so I didn't need an IV put in. What did you particularly like about the TENS? I liked how I could have the gentle bursts in the background when I was out of a contraction and had the choice to push the button to put the surge on and adjust the strength easily. It gave me something that I had control over when my body was doing everything else. How easy was TENS to put on? Any advice for other mums? My husband and I practiced using the TENS before labour so when the day came around he knew exactly where to place the pads and I knew how it functioned. I'd highly recommend using it beforehand and it's pretty good at easing back pain too! Any advice for moving through the intensity modes? Start low and go up! If you start too high it's way too intense. Starting low means you can slowly build up your threshold and use it to your advantage as the contractions become more intense. Any other general advice for new mums heading into labour? Go in with no expectations about what you want. Baby will have their own plan in mind and as long as they arrive healthy and happy that is all that matters! Did anything surprise you about your labour? I didn't expect for it to come on so quickly. I had the impression I would stay home for a long while before having to go out but am grateful it was a speedy process What/who were you grateful for? My midwife was extraordinary and completely calming during the whole process, my husband was solid as a rock and held me through the whole process and the tens and calm setting at the birthing centre made my labour beautiful.
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From 36 Hours of Labour to a Dream Birth — Jess’s Story
I wanted to share my experience of the TENS machine and my birth story with you.When my latent phase of labour started I put the machine on and used the Boost function during surges. This latent phase lasted for 36 hours with surges every 5-15 minutes and the TENS machine was excellent at building the endorphins and helping me breathe through the surges. Active labour lasted about 10 hours for me and as the intensity built I used a higher intensity setting which was excellent and helping me stay at home as long as possible. I only removed the TENS machine for showers which began to stop helping with the pain and intensity in this active phase. I arrived at the hospital 9cm dilated and my waters burst half an hour later - my husband and I cried with relief that we had come so far at home ourselves without requiring medication. We only added in gas once we arrived at the hospital. After 90 minutes of pushing with the TENS machine on our beautiful surprise (a girl) arrived. I kept it on throughout my stitches being done which along with the gas helped removed the sting from these. I would 100% use a TENS machine again for subsequent births and would recommend it to anyone. I believe it helped me have the natural birth I dreamed of. Thanks again for the great customer service! The courier should be collecting the parcel today!Kind regards,Jess
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Read our Q and A with new mum Kimberley
We asked one of our lovely new mums, Kimberley some questions about her labour. Here's some of her advice for a positive, prepared labour. What techniques, tools and people helped you during labour? A: I had a bag of tricks at the ready after reading JuJu Sundin's book called 'Birth Skills'. I didn't end up needing many of them since my labour was so quick, but what I found helpful was my husband distracting me by counting, a heat pack on my shoulders, walking/stomping around the house, squeezing a stress ball, and listening to this calming music over and over again. What did you particularly like about the TENS? A: Ease of use and that it helped to be a distraction, and that I could move around with it. It didn't completely get rid of the pain, but it helped me to cope better. My waters broke at 7.20pm and shortly after I started using the TENS machine. It was fairly simple to use and was a good distraction. I held off on using the more powerful modes as I wanted to save them until the contractions were at their worst. But, I never needed them in the end, as my baby was born at 12.27am! Did you give birth at home, hospital or a birthing centre? What helped in your environment? A: Almost at home, but just made it to the maternity unit in time! At home I felt relaxed and safe and didn't have to worry about anything or anyone. It was just me and my husband. At the maternity unit, I felt well looked after by the midwives and they said encouraging things as I pushed. Would you have done anything differently for your labour? A: No, I don't think so. It went as well as it probably could have. I do wish my midwife could have been there for the birth, but sadly she was helping with another emergency birth at the time! She did arrive afterwards to do the paperwork, which I found really comforting since we built a nice bond over my pregnancy. Any other general advice for new mums heading into labour? A: Be prepared with lots of tools at your disposal, as you don't know what you'll like when in the moment. I thought I would want to bounce on my Swiss ball, but turns out I hated that! I also was imagining a water birth at the maternity unit, but the bath didn't fill up fast enough for me to be able to use it. I just let my body do what it wanted to do, and was amazed by the progress I made. I think it helped to try and stay calm and upright as much as possible (use gravity!). Also, not sure if it actually helped to spark labour, but the day my waters broke I had done an hour of aquajogging and eaten some dates! Did anything surprise you about your labour? A: That it was so fast, and that it started with my waters breaking. What/who were you grateful for? A: My lovely husband, who has been super supportive both during labour and after. And that I had an uncomplicated fast first birth which gave me a beautiful healthy baby daughter. Also, I am grateful for my wonderful midwife and the midwifery system that we have in NZ, which allows continuity of care and provides a lot of support to expecting mums (and also postpartum). Thank you so much for sharing Kimberley.
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Hayley's Labour with TENS, Acupressure & Hypnobirthing
Pain relief during labour is on most pregnant women's minds. Everyone's tolerance to pain is different, and as such our need for pain relief will vary. Thankfully there is a whole range of pain relief options available to women in New Zealand; some are widely available; some you may need to arrange in advance. Remember you may have a substantial number of hours in labour so it makes sense to have a 'toolkit' of pain relief options ready before you go into labour. Here, Hayley has shares her birth story and describes how she coped with pain using acupressure, TENS and hypnobirthing techniques. I went into labour on Saturday morning and fairly quickly my contractions worked up to 3 minutes apart and 60 seconds long. My husband had been using acupressure up until this point during contractions but we then decided to try the TENS machine for the first time (my labour started two weeks before my due date so we hadn’t had a chance to try it out!), and immediately felt relief due to the distraction of the currents. I was then able to labour at home and then hospital for the next six hours before delivering our baby girl Ruby using hypnobirthing techniques completely naturally and drug free! What I mainly found helpful about the TENS machine was actually pushing the start and stop button for each contraction as it gave me something to focus on and also a way for me to feel like each contraction was only for a certain about of time, allowing me to use hypnobirthing techniques to control the pain. Hayley
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How I used TENS through Labour, an Ambulance Transfer & Birth
This positive birth story shares how one mum used a Labour TENS machine from early labour right through to active labour and birth — including during a hospital transfer and ambulance ride. From labouring at home to trying a water birth, she explains how TENS helped her stay calm, focused, and cope naturally with contractions. My sister recommended using a labour TENS machine - she used it with her fourth baby and said it made a huge difference. I felt contractions start at about 9am, and my husband helped me set up the TENS. I used it at home for about 2.5 hours before heading to the hospital as my labour progressed quite quickly. It was so easy to use and move about, and the unit is much smaller than I'd anticipated. Also, I wanted to try a water birth, so I took off the TENS to get in the birthing pool. By then the TENS seemed to have done its job with allowing my natural endorphins to build up, and I was able to handle contractions in the water without the machine or any other pain relief. As labour progressed my midwife decided to transfer us from the primary maternity unit to the hospital as a precaution due to meconium in my waters. Once out of the birthing pool the TENs was easy to reattach. I used it during the 1.5 hour ambulance ride and during active labour while pushing. I was amazed at how effective it was, and I liked having something to focus on during labour - mainly anticipating a contraction and pushing a button! I had my beautiful daughter at 6:37pm. Even with a few unexpected complications and being moved about, I'm grateful that we could use the TENS machine so easily. I honestly think I've had worse period cramps than when labouring with TENS. Thanks NatalCareNZ for the great service you provide!
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Welcome to the world Matilda Grace!
New mum, Hannah, shares her advice for a positive labour... During early labour I started having intense contractions. My husband had the TENS machine ready to go. He put it on me and instantly I felt relief. The TENS machine was very easy to set up and put on. I would recommend having your birthing partner apply the sticky pads and to do this as soon as your contractions start to make best use of your machine. I continued using my TENS through the rest of labour, gradually increasing the strength and using the booster as the contractions got stronger and closer together. I laboured at home for 12+ hours (it was a long one!) before heading to the hospital to give birth to Matilda. I am really pleased I was able to spend so much of the labour in the comfort of my own home with the TENS. Throughout labour I used hypnobirthing breathing techniques to help me through. My partner also set up our diffuser and applied essential oils to my stomach and back to help me through. I’d definitely recommend a combination of tips and tricks to get through your labour eg massage, breathing techniques, essential oils, but definitely the TENS! It really helps to distract you when the contractions hit! I truly feel like I could not have gotten through my labour without the TENS! And now we have our gorgeous little Matilda Grace. She was born after 28 hours of labour as she was positioned awkwardly - but our beautiful 3.7kg girl is now safely in the world and we love her sooo much! Thanks for the much needed help, NatalCare!
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Why I Used TENS Again for My Second Birth
We’re so grateful to share this beautiful birth story from Jules, who used a Labour TENS machine in both of her labours and found it incredibly effective for managing contractions. TENS was recommended to me by a friend late into my first pregnancy and I arranged to hire a unit at the last minute. My son decided to arrive 8 days early so I was lucky the unit arrived on the day I went into labour! My contractions started at 6pm, and I stayed at home using TENS for around 7 hours before heading to the hospital at around 1am. I continued to use the TENS in the hospital and I couldn’t believe how effective it was at controlling the pain. My son arrived after being at hospital for only around 3 hours. Because TENS worked so well for me for my first labour I decided to hire one again for my second labour. My second labour started at 11pm with contractions 5 minutes apart. I phoned my midwife at midnight and she suggested giving it another half an hour to see if the contractions became more intense before potentially heading to hospital. The TENS machine was so effective I could hardly tell that the intensity of the contractions were increasing, and in the end went to hospital at 2am on the basis that the contractions were 3 minutes apart, not because of the level of pain. I used TENS until the very last stages of labour and had my daughter at 3.48am. I know I am lucky to have had straight forward births, but I also cannot imagine dealing with the contractions in the same way without TENS. I really believe it made a huge difference to both my labours and I’m very grateful to NatalCareNZ for their awesome service :-) Jules
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Dustin’s Fast Arrival: A TENS & Water Birth Story
We’re sharing this beautiful story from Jahnea about the speedy arrival of her son Dustin, and how she used a TENS machine throughout her labour before moving into a water birth. My water broke at 5:30pm. I had only just sat down after a tiring day wedding dress shopping with my friend. I was two days past my due date and finally had done all the things I needed to. I felt a funny twinge and thought that I needed to pee. So I took myself to the toilet and water rushed out as soon as I reached the bathroom. I did for a moment think I had wet myself. Every time I moved my legs some more water came out and I clicked that it was indeed my ‘waters’! I called my husband and mum and they were soon home. We quickly put the tens machine on just after 6pm. I had fairly strong contractions and enjoyed the relief from the tens machine. By this time my contractions were coming pretty fast and strong so we decided to call the midwife and meet her at the Birth Care Centre. On the way I was able to turn the level up on my tens machine. When we got there another contraction hit when I was walking into the lift and I still remember the ‘kick’ from the tens machine, and the tingling feeling! I had it turned up pretty high but was loving it! Once in the birthing room and after being checked by a midwife I decided to move into the birthing pool. My baby boy Dustin arrived at 7:30pm. He was a healthy weight at 4.24kg. I had to push his head and his shoulders out! I was very relieved to finally have him out and to meet him. I had a very small tear which the midwife stitched, and I got on with enjoying my baby! Jahnea
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From First Contraction to Home Birth: Julia’s Arrival
We’re sharing Toni’s beautiful birth story of her daughter Julia, which unfolded into an unexpected, and beautiful home birth. The birth of little Julia went so much better than I could have possibly imagined. Being our first bub we weren't sure what to expect during birth and having heard our fair share of horror stories, I had become pretty nervous in my last weeks of pregnancy. I certainly didn't expect to birth at home and without any medication at all. My first contraction was at about 2:30am, at least the first one to be strong enough to wake me up was. From then, I was having contractions every 40-30mins or so, but managing (somehow!) to fall asleep in between. I got up around 5:30am and not much later my waters broke in a gradual trickle (not a massive gush like in the movies!). After that, the contractions quickly became stronger and closer together (about 10mins apart). I called my midwife, Bec, she would be with me within an hour. My husband, James, helped me get the TENS machine on and get it to an appropriate setting for how I was feeling. By the time Bec arrived, my contractions were 3mins apart. I was kneeling on the lounge floor with my head on the seat of our couch. There was no way I was getting in the car, so after being on the fence about home birth vs birthing unit, the decision when the time came was a no brainer, I wasn't going anywhere! I gave birth to our wee Julia at 1:49pm on her due date the 1st September, having not moved from my spot by the couch. Throughout labour, James took charge of the TENS machine. He increased the settings a few times and pushed the boost button for me with each contraction. Besides the TENS machine, some lower back massage by mum and some cold face cloths, these were all we needed to bring Julia into the world. I was so pleased to have not required any interventions or medications. Although, this being our first baby, I am unable to compare birth while using a TENS machine to birth without it, I would definitely use the TENS machine again next time and would recommend it for all expectant mothers to include as part of their birth plan. I couldn't have hoped for a better birthing experience! Toni
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Libby’s Calm and Positive Birth with TENS
Libby shares her beautiful birth story and reflects on how amazing it felt to labour with minimal pain relief and in a relatively relaxed frame of mind. My son Jay is my first child, and my labour was only around 7 and a half hours long — with 5 and a half of those spent at home thanks to my Labour TENS machine! I may have been in early labour for a few days because I woke at 1230 midnight and my waters broke. Within 15 mins I was having 45-second contractions every four minutes and they kept on coming on stronger and stronger. I got my husband to attach the TENS machine at 2.30am and at first, I was not sure if it was helping so I took it off. OH BOY WAS IT HELPING!! I stayed at home until 5.30am with the TENS machine. At this point, the contractions were coming a minute on, a minute off and they were sore! We called the midwife and headed to the hospital where I was fully dilated and within half an hour I was beginning to push. My son was born 1.5 hours later and it was an amazing feeling to have laboured with minimal pain relief and in a relatively relaxed frame of mind. The TENS machine helped me to stay at home for the majority of the labour which, I believe, brought my son to me so quickly. I recommend this product to all my friends who are about to give birth!
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