Elle TENS for labour & postpartum. Shipping incl. Call for info on local pickup

If you prefer to pick up and drop off locally, please use this code at checkout for $20 off your TENS rental: LOCAL2019

1. Additional pain-killing medicines were used less by TENS users (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34 - 0.96)
2. 54% of women would use it in a future labour (compared with 32% who had sham TENS).

1. Do not use the TENS on broken or irritated skin.
2. The use of a TENS Machine with a pacemaker may prevent the pacemaker from working. If you have a pacemaker, you must get a clearance from your consultant cardiologist that it is O.K for you to use a TENS machine.
3. TENS Machines should be kept out of the reach of children.
4. Electrical stimulation over the carotid sinus, i.e. anywhere over the front of the neck, may be hazardous.
5. Remove the TENS pads before getting in the water (e.g. shower or bath).
6. Make sure the TENS is off before transferring the pads, whether to place them, move them or remove them.

1. Don’t put in water or near high heat.
2. Don’t drop on a hard surface or use near flammable gas.
3. If it breaks, don’t use it. Return to Pure Harmony for repair or replacement.
4. Remove the batteries when not using TENS.
5. Use only included electrodes.
6. Turn unit off before removing electrodes.

1. Turn unit OFF before removing the lead wires or taking the pads off.
2. Replace reusable electrodes on special paper (non-shiny side), store in airtight bag.
3. If desired, you may restart TENS later using same electrodes.
4. Do not reuse electrodes on other people.

All TENS machines allow you to control the strength of the pulses, but labour TENS have a special feature called the Booster Button. This allows you to change the sensation during contractions. This is a very important feature for three reasons:

1/ If the stimulation remains the same throughout you will likely become indifferent to it.

2/ The Booster Button gives you something that is under your control at a time when many things are not under your control. This is very helpful for many people.

3/ If you don't have a Booster Button but you want to change the strength of the stimulation, you will need to fiddle with the TENS control panel, which would be very difficult to do every time your contractions start and stop (especially as they get closer together).

1. A simple digital interface allows a “set-and-forget” operation until you want more or less power.
2. The OptiMax button (OM) provides you with an additional means for controlling the strength. Unlike the main control buttons (which allow you to adjust the strength for each pair of pads separately) the OM button controls all four pads at once. Its default setting is mid-range (150us). I recommend that you start with it at the 150 us (the standard setting), and begin your intensity adjustments using the main control buttons. Once you have established your preferred setting, you will then be able to use the Optimax button to turn up all four pads at once.
3. The “Mode” button makes a change in the frequency of the pulse when the unit is in "Burst" mode. If you hit the "Mode" button when the unit is in “Boost”, you will not notice a difference until you hit the “Boost” button again and return the mode to "Burst".
4. Before your labour starts it’s a good idea to try these buttons out and become familiar with their uses and how you respond to them.

If you decide to turn the OM down from 150 us be aware that if you then hit the “Mode” button, the unit will reset itself back to 150 us which can be overwhelming. If ever you feel overwhelmed by the sensations simply hit the  round, bright-pink power button.

Although there is no definitive research about how TENS units work, there are well-supported theories that we turn to when explaining their effectiveness:

1. Gateway theory of pain - Nerves that carry pain messages get loaded with the sensation from the labour TENS and relay a diminished pain signal to the brain (Melzak and Wall, 1965 and Dowsell et al, 2008)
2. Endorphin stimulation - The sensation of the labour TENS, like massage or other kinds of touch, stimulates the body to increase its production of pain-fighting endorphins (Millns, P and Eagland, K

Practitioners who regularly use or observe TENS use in labour have also observed:

1. The stimulation can act as a simple distraction.
2. The Booster Button can give a feeling of control.

Your TENS will provide the most effective pain relief when it is used from the very start of labour. This is likely for two reasons:

1/ It gives you a chance to get used to the sensation. Introducing a new sensation later in labour can be difficult for some.

2/ It allows for more buildup of endorphins. It takes somewhere between 30-60 minutes for your body to begin to feel the effects of the endorphin-release stimulated by the TENS unit.

 

When you begin use in labour, turn the dial up very slowly, just until you feel a slight sensation. Leave the setting there for a few contractions before you increase the sensation again. Only increase the sensation to a point that you feel comfortable with. Increase the strength (and the frequency of pulses if you like, using the "Mode" button) as your labour progresses. When you feel a contraction beginning to build, click your Booster Button. As the contraction subsides, click the button again. If you forget to hit the button at the end of the contraction, don’t worry, the important thing is that the sensation changes at the start of your contraction.

1. It's portable and non-invasive.
2. It's under your control.
3. It's easy to use.
4. You can maintain your freedom of movement.
5. You remain clear-headed.
6. You can use it for as long as you want and then take it off. There are no lasting side-effects.
7. Because you can take it off and put it back on at any time, you can still use water to assist with pain relief if that appeals to you. (You just can't use them at the same time.)
8. It's safe for your baby (MIDIRS 2008:14; Millns and Eagland n.d.).
9. It is a self-administered form of pain-relief that can be started at home.
10. It can be used for a home birth.

1. Though you can put the pads on yourself, it can be a bit awkward; it's easier to have help putting the pads on.
2. Although many people get relief throughout labour when using the TENS, some find that it is only effective for early labour.
3. The TENS may have to be removed if your caregiver wants to use electronic fetal monitoring and they find (or believe they might find) that it interferes with the signal. Talk with your caregiver before  labour.

Many health plans will reimburse you for the expense of a labour TENS. Talk to your insurance rep to find out if you are covered and what documentaion you will need to provide.

Recent research has determined that, in order to get a significant increase in endorphins, a TENS unit must be used at a level that makes your muscle twitch. This is another good reason to practice ahead of time as practice will help you to learn to recognize the feeling of the twitch and to get used to the feeling of that intensity. It's also a good reason to start using the TENS as early as possible when your labour starts; when contractions are less intense you will be so much more able to incoporate that stronger sensation.

Once you get that endorphin stimulation, it lasts for about 24 hours, so keep using it at the maximum level you are able to until your labour requires more attention and focus, then turn it down to whatever feels right.

If you are very sensitive to cold or feel chilled when you are getting ready to start the TENS use, get your birth partner to warm the pads with their body heat. They can open the bag, (keeping them on the protective backing) and put them under their shirt for several minutes. If you are using aloe gel you can warm the bottle in a cup of hot water.

Take the pads off every three to five hours, coat the dark side with clear aloe gel, and allow about ten minutes for the gel to be absorbed. The pads should feel a bit sticky to your clean finger before reapplying them. This ensures that the contact with your back is at its most effective. Be sure to wash your hands whenever you handle the pads and rewash your skin before reapplying. Sweat and oil degrade the conductivity of the pads.

Keep mobile. Moving around during labour helps women feel more in control and should therefore enhance the effect of TENS. If there is one position or activity that brings you more comfort, think of that as your home base. Working in 15-20 minute periods, try something different then go back to your home base (and repeat). This helps the progression of labour.

Please email TENS@Pure-Harmony.ca, or call or text 778-VIP-CARE (847-2273)  if you have any questions.

If you would like personal support via Skype when figuring out how to use the TENS, please call, text. or email to book a consultation.

 

Before the birth, starting in week 37, practice with your TENS, placing the pads as per the instructions for labour. This can help with pains in the lower and mid-back.

Do not use the pads on your shoulders (by this I mean the area between the neck and shoulder joint) before labour unless so instructed by your healthcare professional. This placement can act as a stimulant for labour (aka, "induction point").

In the postpartum period you can have aches and sore muscles from labour as well as from feeding and carrying your baby. You can use the pads on any muscles that are sore. Be sure to avoid any bony protuberances as they can be overly sensitive to the stimulation (i.e. they can hurt in bony areas!). Shoulders and back are the most common areas for postpartum relief.

Ask your healthcare professional before using on your belly.

Do not use on your belly if you have had a belly birth (cesarean section).

1. Warm the pads (see section on warming pads).
2. Use alcohol wipes to clean the back where you will place the pads and to wipe your fingers for handling.
3. Place pads on back as shown.
   1. If you think that moving the pads up or down will be helpful for you, go ahead and do that.
4. Put the black end of the two lead wires into their sockets in the TENS unit (see photo).
5. Attach leads to pads (see photo).
6. Refer to this illustration for explanation of the controls.
7. Turn unit on (it will always start at 0 intensity).
8. Increase intensity on both sides, one level at a time, until you can feel the sensation (it may feel like a buzz, a tingle, or a tapping feeling.
9. Get used to the sensation for a bit, then increase by one.
10. Repeat step 9 until you find that the sensation is too intense for you, then turn the intensity back down by one.
11. Refer to the section on getting the best use out of your TENS for info on maximizing your endorphin production.

This option is only available if you received your TENS by mail.

1. DO NOT return used pads.
2. Please DO return unopened pads.
3. Visit Pure Harmony's Canada Post Package Returns Page and follow the instructions to generate your return shipping label at no cost. You will need to have access to a printer to print the label.
4. Package the unit and all parts & accessories (except used pads), including:
   • TENS unit.
   • All three leads (this includes the spare lead).
   • All 4 batteries.
   • Lanyard (including black plastic clip that attaches to TENS unit).
   • All fabric pouches and the larger, purple fabric soft-pouch.
   • If you have a Birthing TENS (not an Elle) include the handheld booster button.
5. Put the TENS unit in the purple soft-pouch and tie shut.
6. Package the return items in one of the following:
   • The shipping envelope provided with your unit, or
   • A bubble envelope or padded paper envelope, or
   • A cardboard (not boxboard) box, max 7'x7"x5". If using a cardboard box, make sure to stuff any empty spots in the box with paper or other suitable material to keep the unit from moving around during shipping.

Please contact Pure-Harmony by phone, email, or text to arrange a time for drop-off. Thanks!

Phone/text: 778-VIP-CARE (847-2273)

Email: aimee@pure-harmony.ca