Using a TENS Unit to Stimulate Lactation
It can be a daunting process to begin inducing lactation, especially if you have never been pregnant, or it has been a long time since your last pregnancy. To get started you need to stimulate your breasts to encourage milk production. Stimulating and "expressing" needs to be done on a regular schedule to be effective. The trouble is, you don't always have the time to stimulate your breasts for 15-20 mins. every 3-4 hours during the day. Without regular and constant stimulation your breasts will take longer to respond with milk — this is where a TENS unit can come in handy.
TENS stands for Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation, and is most commonly used to stimulate nerves and muscles to alleviate pain. The TENS unit is a device that produces a very low electric current that flows from one electrode to the other electrode of the same channel. Most TENS Units are either single channel (two electrodes) or they have two channels (two pairs of electrodes).
For lactation purposes, you can use a TENS unit to stimulate the nerves in your breasts. When you stimulate the nerves in and around your nipple and breast it promotes the release of prolactin, which, in turn, stimulates growth and development of the milk-producing tissues in your breasts, leading to lactation.
Using the TENS Unit
To use the TENS for stimulating your breasts, use one channel (two wires that branch from the same wire) on one breast. Each channel of a TENS unit connects to two pads. The current travels between these pads. The electrodes (pads) should be placed on each side of the nipple, about 1/2 inch to an inch from the areola. The wires should be marked + and - for each channel, but if they are not marked just be certain that each breast is using wires from the same channel.
A Word of Caution
- You should never cross channels across your heart.
- TENS units have an extremely small micro amperage current and it would be very unlikely for one to trigger an arrhythmia, but if you are wearing a pacemaker, you should not use a TENS Unit without discussing it with your doctor first.
When Should I Use a TENS?
The TENS unit is not intended to replace nursing, pumping, or manual expression of your breasts. You will still need to continue your regular schedule, it is only meant to stimulate when you are not able to.
While Inducing
For maximum benefit, turn on the TENS for 15-20 minutes every two hours. Most units now are preprogrammed to shut off automatically after 20 minutes. Prolactin is released from the pituitary in about 4-5 discrete pulses over 15 to 20 minutes with suckling. After this more release does not occur for a while so stimulating the breast for more than 15-20 minutes does not cause more Prolactin release.
After You Have Milk
Once you start getting milk in the breasts, don't use the TENS to replace your regular sessions, you must add pumping to remove it because milk staying in the alveoli is a powerful influence to turn the alveoli back off. You can also use it to supplement stimulation with pumping later when you want to pump only 2 or 3 times a day. You can also use it to stimulate during the night while you sleep to accelerate the changes.
Buying a TENS Unit
Today's TENS units are small and discreet and can be worn under your clothing without anyone knowing that you are stimulating your breasts as you go about your daily routine! When choosing a TENS, if possible, choose one with at least 2 channels so you can apply stimulation to both breasts simultaneously.
Frequently Asked Questions
These are some of the most common questions we receive about using a TENS unit for lactation.
Place two electrode pads on each breast — one positive (+) and one negative (−) from the same channel. Each channel on your TENS unit has a positive and negative lead. It's important to keep each channel's leads together on the same breast.
"Crossing wires" means mixing leads from different channels on the same breast (e.g., the positive from channel 1 and the negative from channel 2). Never do this — sending current from two different channels across your chest could potentially trigger arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat).
Every TENS unit is different — they come with a wide variety of modes, frequencies, and intensity levels. There's no single magic setting. Start low, experiment with what feels comfortable, and stick with what works for your body. The specific setting matters less than using it consistently.
Every body is different, and many factors influence your timeline — are you pumping on a regular schedule? Taking supplements? Taking domperidone? Some women start to see progress within a few weeks, while others take considerably longer. There's no definitive answer, but consistency with your routine is what matters most.
While there's no real harm in leaving the TENS on for longer periods, keep in mind that breasts are naturally programmed to respond to stimulation cycles of about 20 minutes — roughly the length of a typical infant nursing session. Sticking close to that natural rhythm tends to be more effective than extended sessions. That said, multiple shorter sessions throughout the day will do more for you than one long one.
Not really. The TENS unit is meant to act as a stimulant — essentially, you're tricking your body into thinking there's a nursing infant at the breast. You don't need high intensity to achieve that. A comfortable level that you can feel clearly is all it takes. You're welcome to crank it up if that's your jam, but it won't get you to the finish line any faster.
Yes, mild itching is quite common. The electrical current itself can cause a tingling or itchy sensation, which is perfectly normal. Some people also have sensitivity to the adhesive on the electrode pads, which can cause additional irritation. This is one reason it's a good idea not to leave the pads on your skin for extended periods between sessions — give your skin a chance to breathe.
Generally, yes. If your electrode pads aren't placed directly over the jewelry, it shouldn't be an issue. If you do find the current feels uncomfortably concentrated near a piercing, try removing the jewelry for the session or repositioning your pads.
