Have You Got Questions?

Scroll down to find the questions you need answers for.

We're answering all your TENS, order, and product questions below.

Placing Your Order Questions

Answering all your questions you may have before you place your order. Keep scrolling if this is not what you're after.

How long does shipping take?

All orders are sent out within 1 - 2 business days.

For express post orders, including all TENS machines, we recommend allowing up to a week for your order to arrive - though they can arrive much sooner and depend on your location.

Here is a link to Australia Post's current shipping times for express and parcel post; all orders are sent from WA.

We ship Australia-wide to all states of Australia.

WA, SA, VIC, ACT, TAS, NSW, QLD & NT.

I'm not sure if I'll need the TENS machine. Can I cancel it if I don't?

Our TENS machines can be cancelled for a full refund at any point up until your TENS machine is sent.

 

Once your order has been sent, unfortunately, it can't be cancelled because it will have left our warehouse, and your hire service will have commenced.

 

We recommend ordering a money-back guarantee with your hire, which will cover you if your machine is sent before finding out you cannot use it.

How do I hire a TENS machine?
We have 3 TENS machines, you can hire them here. Once you choose your desired TENS machine you'll see a calendar, on here you select your hire duration and the date you'd like us to send your TENS machine, then select 'book now' and finalise your purchase in your cart. 
If you're not sure what machine to select you can find out more information here.
For more information on what hire duration and dates to select for your hire, you can find more information here.
Can I order the products I need now when scheduling my TENS machine?

If you order products with a TENS machine and would like your other products to be shipped earlier than your scheduled TENS machine, please get in touch with us here to request.

As we are a small business and already cover a portion of the shipping costs, we unfortunately aren't in a position to send multiple orders free of charge. However, we will only charge you our existing shipping costs and cover the remainder if the shipping costs more. We will add a $9 shipping charge for standard post or $13 for express to your order before we send out your first item. 

Do shipping times come off my hire period?

Our TENS machines can be cancelled for a full refund at any point up until your TENS machine is sent.

 

Once your order has been sent, unfortunately, it can't be cancelled because it will have left our warehouse, and your hire service will have commenced.

 

We recommend ordering a money-back guarantee with your hire, which will cover you if your machine is sent before finding out you cannot use it.

How long can I hire my TENS machine for?

You can hire for 4, 6 or 8 weeks.

 

Not sure which hire duration to select?

 

81% of people having their first baby go past their due date, statically you’ll more than likely need it for longer so it’s best to opt for the longer hire.

 

Unless you have a specific induction date, we find it’s best to stick to the below depending on how far along you are currently:

 

0 – 36 weeks: Choose the 8-week hire

37 – 38 weeks: Choose the 6-week hire

39 + weeks: Choose the 4-week hire

 

Note: Shipping times don't come off your hire period; your return date is calculated to include an extra week so that you're not paying for the time it takes to arrive to you. Additionally, your return date is the date you take it to the post office to return, so you have access to the machine for the entire duration you pay for. 

When should I order my TENS?
We recommend hiring your machine as soon as you have a due date; we will place your order in our calendar and make sure we have a machine to send to you on the date that you select (we generally recommend factoring in 1 week for shipping, though with express post it's generally much quicker than this).
Ordering in advance means you won't have to worry about missing out due to stock levels. We recommend choosing the date you'll be 35 weeks as the date you want us to send the machine for an 8-week hire.
We can also help out with last-minute orders. If we have stock available on the website, you can order, and we'll send your machine out ASAP.
If you are really not sure you will get it in time and are in the Perth metro area, you can order online with local pickup, and it can be collected in Midland.
Can I claim my TENS machine on private health?
This will depend on your coverage, and it is important that you reach out to your health insurance provider to confirm if you are covered and if so, what for - the item code for TENS purchase is TENSP and the item code for TENS hire is TENSH.
Once you have confirmed your eligibility, you can go ahead and hire or buy your machine and you'll be sent an invoice with your order confirmation that has all the info you need. Once you’ve got the receipt, you can take it through the claims process with your health insurance provider.
Our tax invoices include all the information any Australian health insurer will request; we are also an approved BUPA provider. 
I have more questions about the TENS machine specifically

Scroll down to our TENS machine questions below.

Existing Order Questions

Answering all your questions related to orders you've placed. Keep scrolling if this is not what you're after.

I'm having an issue with my TENS machine
If you're having a technical issue with your TENS machine, please go to our troubleshooting information here.
I need to cancel my order that hasn't been sent yet
No problems at all, if your order hasn't been sent yet we can cancel that for you. You can contact us here to request a cancellation.
I need to cancel my TENS machine hire that has already been sent

If your order has already been sent, unfortunately, it can't be cancelled because it has left our warehouse, and your hire service has commenced.

 

If you ordered a money-back guarantee purchased before your order was sent, you could contact us here before sending back your machine to start your claim.

 

If you didn't order a money-back guarantee before your order was sent, we, unfortunately, cannot offer refunds for hire services that have already commenced, per our hire agreement. However, the TENS is still yours for your hire duration; please look at our blog post here for more information on what else you can use your TENS machine for. 

I have products I'd like to return for a refund
Please note, this doesn't apply to TENS machine hires, please see the first two answers if your question relates to TENS machine hire.
We have a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after receiving your item to request a return. To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unused, with tags, or in its original packaging. You’ll also need the receipt, proof of purchase, or  your order number.
If your order meets the above criteria and is not faulty, or a clothing item please download a return request here and send your item back with the completed return request enclosed in the package. Your return request will be processed on arrival.
If your product is a clothing item or is faulty, please instead contact us here before starting a return request.
Can I extend my hire?
We understand some things don’t go to plan, you can add more time, here.

Once your order is placed, we'll extend your hire period accordingly.
When will my order be sent?

FOR TENS MACHINE HIRE:
Your order will be sent on the date you requested on the calendar on checkout; if you don't recall what date you selected, you can log in using the details you checked out with and view your orders here, or you can contact us here if you didn't create an account.

 

FOR ALL OTHER PRODUCTS:

Your order will be sent within 1-2 business days of your order being received; if you ordered products with a TENS machine and would like your other products to be shipped earlier than your scheduled TENS machine, please contact us here to request.

Can I change the dates of my hire?
This depends on when it's available, though we will always do our best to help you. Please message us here and advise us on the date you'd like to move your TENS hire, and we'll confirm with you ASAP if this is possible.
I’ve lost my pre-paid return satchel, how do I get it back to you?

 

We do have access to our returns labels for a certain period of time, if you've lost your satchel please reach out to us here, and we'll send you the label if we can. If we no longer have access to the label, we can give you our address for return.

Or if you are in the area, feel free to reach out, and we could organise a drop-off.

My order is delayed during shipping, what do I do?

We're sorry about this; we understand how important it is to get your products quickly. Here are a few points on what can occur, which may help to ease your mind.

1. If your order is a TENS machine, we recommend allowing a week for it to arrive from the date you selected on checkout, which is the date we send your machine. A 1-week shipping buffer is already loaded into your hire to account for this, so you don't lose any time with your machine.

2. Most of the time, when an item is marked as 'delayed' by Australia Post, this is due to a lack of tracking; however, in most cases, the parcel has been moving through, just not being updated in the tracking. Orders are marked as 'delayed' after there hasn't been an update in 4 days, and most orders are received within 1-2 business days of receiving a tracking update.

 

3. When an order is delayed, they push the contact date out to avoid an influx of queries; this isn't the new estimated date; it will likely be received much quicker.

 

With all of this in mind, we assure you that, in most cases, your order is still moving through and will probably be with you soon. If your express post parcel has not arrived within the week, or your parcel post within two weeks, please contact us here to advise us and lodge a query with Australia Post. In a little over 2 years, we've noted very few serious postal hiccups, and most queries from our customers come in shortly before the parcel arrives.

I need to make a claim on my money-back guarantee

We can help with that; if you want to claim your money-back guarantee, please contact us here; once you've sent us a message, you can send your TENS machine back using the satchel inside your hire. 

Please remember that the money-back guarantee is for completely untouched hires (aside from retrieving the return satchel). If you set up your TENS, test it, use the batteries or open any of the accessories, it will make your hire ineligible for the claim. You can find more information on the eligibility requirements here.

When does my TENS need to be returned?

Your return date is the last date to take your machine to the post office; we don't have to receive it by that date.

 

You can find your return date either by logging into your account that you used to hire your machine here or in the email you should have received with information on how to return your TENS machine; it should have been received one week after your order was sent. 

 

If you cannot access either of these, please get in touch with us here so we can check for you.

I've broken or lost my TENS machine, what do I do?
If your TENS machine is broken or lost please get in touch with us here, and we'll discuss the next steps.
If it's one of the additional accessories that are broken, don't worry - please read the question "What do I need to return in my TENS hire" to the left for more information on what doesn't have to be returned.

TENS Machine Questions

Answering all your TENS-related questions. Keep scrolling if this is not what you're after.

I'm having an issue with my TENS machine
If you're having a technical issue with your TENS machine, please go to our troubleshooting information here.
Can the TENS machine be used in the water?

No, unfortunately, your TENS machine cannot get wet, so it cannot be used with water.

If you're planning on a water birth, or using water for pain relief in labour, there are still some ways you can incorporate the TENS into your plan. Find out how here.

Can I claim my TENS machine on private health?
This will depend on your coverage, and it is important that you reach out to your health insurance provider to confirm if you are covered and if so, what for - the item code for TENS purchase is TENSP and the item code for TENS hire is TENSH.
Once you have confirmed your eligibility, you can go ahead and hire or buy your machine and you'll be sent an invoice with your order confirmation that has all the info you need. Once you’ve got the receipt, you can take it through the claims process with your health insurance provider.
Our tax invoices include all the information any Australian health insurer will request; we are also an approved BUPA provider. 
Where do I place the electrodes?

There are four pads that come with your TENS machine. 2 start at your bra line and 2 finish at your underwear line - both on either sides of your spine.

 

Placing the electrodes:

• You will likely need some help placing the pads on your back. You can do it yourself in a pinch, but it’s a hard feat – if you don’t have a birthing partner, you can ask your midwife for help with this.

• Before placing your electrodes ensure the area is free from excess oils or moisture.

• Place the electrodes vertically starting at your underwear line; the length of your torso may affect where the top of the bra line electrodes start – you’ll run out of room on the bottom electrodes before you do on the top, which is why we recommend starting at the bottom.

• Whether the wires are facing up or down doesn’t matter a great deal. You can place them in whichever way is the most comfortable for you.

• You then connect the top 2 electrodes to 2 wires in the same jack (where the wires connect to the machine) and the bottom 2 electrodes to the 2 other wires in the same jack. Whether you connect the top or bottom to the left or right jack doesn’t matter.

 

Can TENS electrodes be re-used?

TENS electrodes are easily removable and can be reused – how long for, depends on how they’ve been treated.

The stickiness of the gel on the electrodes can be affected by a few things:

• Large amounts of sweat or wet skin

• Oils – either massage/essential oils or oil from your skin

• Any other moisture or residue on the skin

 

You can prolong the life of your electrodes by:

• Drying your skin before application

• Ensuring the area of your skin being used is free from massage oils

• Placing electrodes straight on plastic backing once removing

• Placing electrodes + plastic backing in their zip lock bag

 

If you have got some electrodes that have started to lose their adhesiveness, you can help them by rubbing a small amount of water into the gel – it may seem contradictory to what’s already been said about moisture on the skin, but it does help!

What's the difference between 3 machines?

The difference between each machine is relatively small, you can take a quiz here which will help you decide which machine is for you and why. Or you can also find a comparison chart on each TENS hire product page.

Though, in short, the differences are:


Elle TENS - Base model, has birth mode for pain relief in labour
Elle TENS 2 - Same as above, but also has the screen light and contraction timer
Elle TENS + - Same as above, but also has the standard pain mode which is helpful for pain relief outside of labour (great for afterbirth pains)

What else can I use my TENS machine for?

TENS Machines are effective for many different types of pain, and some can be used for pelvic floor strengthening, too.

 

The Elle TENS Plus is the only one with the standard pain function and the pelvic floor mode. You can use your Elle TENS Plus with all its features for:

• Afterbirth pains

• C-Section recovery

• Shoulder pain from breastfeeding

• Pelvic pain

• General aches and pains

• Sports injuries

• Recovery from surgeries

• Pelvic floor strengthening and recovery from incontinence (only suitable for machines purchased outright)

Should I test my TENS before labour?
Yes! It's always a smart idea to get an idea of how the TENS works, even though it's straightforward, it helps knowing before labour that you've got it down pat. You can test your TENS at any time from 37 weeks gestation.
Are the machines tested and cleaned?

Yes! Upon receiving the TENS machine back we sanitise the machine and wires with hospital-grade cleaner and the bags are washed in a hot wash with a hospital-grade sanitiser and then line dried.

We then test your machine, using all functions to ensure they're working. So when they're ready to go back out they're clean and in working order.

Should I hire or buy a TENS machine?

Hiring a TENS machine is a great option if you:

  • Are only planning on one or two more babies
  • Want to try it out first to see if it works for you
  • Don’t want to have to worry about safely storing the machine between pregnancies
  • Always want the latest technology for labour
  • Don’t think you’ll use the machine outside of birth

 

You may wish to consider purchasing if you:

  • Are planning on three or more babies
  • May use the machine in between pregnancies
  • May use the machine's pelvic floor function (Elle TENS Plus only)
When should I order my TENS?
We recommend hiring your machine as soon as you have a due date; we will place your order in our calendar and make sure we have a machine to send to you on the date that you select (we generally recommend factoring in 1 week for shipping, though with express post it's generally much quicker than this).
Ordering in advance means you won't have to worry about missing out due to stock levels. We recommend choosing the date you'll be 35 weeks as the date you want us to send the machine for an 8-week hire.
We can also help out with last-minute orders. If we have stock available on the website, you can order, and we'll send your machine out ASAP.
If you are really not sure you will get it in time and are in the Perth metro area, you can order online with local pickup, and it can be collected in Midland.
When is the best time to start using the TENS?
When should you start using your TENS machine? The short answer is as soon as possible.
If you are being induced, it is ideal to place the TENS machine on 30 minutes before starting the process of membrane rupture or the administering of the Pitocin hormone. If you are in the earlier stages of induction, you can hold off, but if you start to feel contractions, it is best to place it on.
For spontaneous labour you can start using it once you believe you are getting labour contractions, if they fizzle out you can always take the electrodes off and keep them for when it starts up again.
If you don’t have access to it right away, you can still find the TENS machine, which will benefit you. It has been shown to be a bit more effective when started ASAP.
How long can I hire my TENS machine for?

You can hire for 4, 6 or 8 weeks.

 

We recommend those who are 36 weeks pregnant or earlier select an 8-week hire, this will give you 4 weeks on either side of your due date. 

If you're due sooner than that, you may find a shorter hire period is right for you.

Note: Shipping times don't come off your hire period. A 1-week shipping buffer is added in between your start and end date, making your hire period technically 1-week longer than advertised when counting from your start date. 

How do I send it back to you?

Sending back is very easy, in your hire is an included pre-paid satchel to make returning seamless and hassle-free.

This satchel is already labelled and addressed, and just needs to be packed, sealed and taken down to be posted.

We do recommend taking it to a post office versus dropping it in the box, so you can get a receipt and we know you held up your end if something goes wrong on it's way to us.

I’ve lost my pre-paid return satchel, how do I get it back to you?

 

We do have access to our returns labels for a certain period of time, if you've lost your satchel please reach out to us here, and we'll send you the label if we can. If we no longer have access to the label, we can give you our address for return.

Or if you are in the area, feel free to reach out, and we could organise a drop-off.

What if I do not get to use my TENS machine in labour?

We highly recommend adding an 'Untouched' TENS Money-back Guarantee to your order, it covers you for non-use of the machine. See the product description for full information on the guarantee and eligibility criteria.

If you've not ordered the Money-back Guarantee and you don’t get to use it for labour, it doesn’t mean it is totally useless to you; TENS machines have been shown to naturally help improve all types of pain.

Should you feel it is not something you can find a use for at all, you can send it back as planned whenever you are ready before the end date, though we, unfortunately, cannot offer a refund in these circumstances if the machine has already been dispatched and the money-back guarantee hasn't been purchased.

How do I cancel my order?

If your order hasn’t been dispatched yet message us on Facebook, Instagram or send us an email here as soon as possible.

Unfortunately though if it has been sent there may not be much we can do, as your hire begins once it leaves our warehouse.

Can I extend my hire?
We understand some things don’t go to plan, you can add more time, here.

Once your order is placed, we'll extend your hire period accordingly.
I'm not sure if I'll need the TENS machine. Can I cancel it if I don't?

Our TENS machines can be cancelled for a full refund at any point up until your TENS machine is sent.

 

Once your order has been sent, unfortunately, it can't be cancelled because it will have left our warehouse, and your hire service will have commenced.

 

We recommend ordering a money-back guarantee with your hire, which will cover you if your machine is sent before finding out you cannot use it.

How do I Hire a TENS Machine?
We have 3 TENS machines, you can hire them here. Once you choose your desired TENS machine you'll see a calendar, on here you select your hire duration and the date you'd like us to send your TENS machine, then select 'book now' and finalise your purchase in your cart. 
If you're not sure what machine to select you can find out more information here.
For more information on what hire duration and dates to select for your hire, you can find more information here.
How long can I hire my TENS machine for?

You can hire for 4, 6 or 8 weeks.

 

Not sure which hire duration to select?

 

81% of people having their first baby go past their due date, statically you’ll more than likely need it for longer so it’s best to opt for the longer hire.

 

Unless you have a specific induction date, we find it’s best to stick to the below depending on how far along you are currently:

 

0 – 36 weeks: Choose the 8-week hire

37 – 38 weeks: Choose the 6-week hire

39 + weeks: Choose the 4-week hire

 

Note: Shipping times don't come off your hire period; your return date is calculated to include an extra week so that you're not paying for the time it takes to arrive to you. Additionally, your return date is the date you take it to the post office to return, so you have access to the machine for the entire duration you pay for. 

Do shipping times come off my hire period?

Our TENS machines can be cancelled for a full refund at any point up until your TENS machine is sent.

 

Once your order has been sent, unfortunately, it can't be cancelled because it will have left our warehouse, and your hire service will have commenced.

 

We recommend ordering a money-back guarantee with your hire, which will cover you if your machine is sent before finding out you cannot use it.

A Different Topic?

Do you need to reach out to us to discuss something else?

Becoming a Stockist

Are you wondering about how you can become a stockist? Head to our stockists page and scroll to the bottom to find our wholesale query contact form.

Our Stockists

Submit My Birth Story

Do you want to submit your birth story to us? We love sharing your birth stories on our blog, socials or even our Facebook group and we would love to hear yours!

Submit My Birth Story

Managing My TENS Hire

Have you received your TENS machine already and need some support using, returning or extending your TENS machine? Head to this page for more info.

Managing My TENS Hire

Something Else

Have we not answered your question?

Reach out to us here to let us know how we can help you with your remaining questions.

Something Else

Why Hire From us?

The Birth Store Difference

Awarded for Transparency

We publish 100% of all reviews we receive. We'll never delete or unpublish a review. This has awarded us a transparency medal from Judge.Me Reviews.

Always Express

Our TENS machine hires are sent via express post every time. We're committed to getting you what you need, but faster.

Created with Postpartum in Mind

We've created the simplest returns process for you to hire during pregnancy, for birth and with postpartum in mind. Simply pack, seal and post. No printing, no cost and no fuss.

Industry First Money-Back Guarantee

We offer a money-back guarantee for those who don't have a chance to use the TENS once it's been sent. Just add to your purchase, and you'll be covered if you can't use it.