Using the Roma Birth Wheel

The ROMA Birth Wheel comes in three parts:

	support
	seat with head rest
	two drive motors

Holding frame

The holding frame consists of a double spiral which the mother can grip at any height. This fixes the thoracic girdle, increasing the tension in the entire anterior trunk musculature and reinforcing the action of the stomach muscles and diaphragm that are used during bearing down.

Seat with head rest

These are made of upholstered plastic and covered with a washable fabric. Straps secure the seat to four variable points in the spiral, enabling the mother to adopt many positions from sitting to squatting.

The shape of the seat leaves the pelvic floor free, the ischial tuberosities are supported and the thighs are in a comfortable position. The pelvis is ideally positioned because of the support given to the ischial tuberosities. The lumbar part of the spine and the pelvis consequently form an almost straight birth canal, favouring interaction between the stomach and pelvic muscles.

The seat gives the mother the necessary freedom of movement (pelvic rotations, tipping, rocking, leaning backwards, etc.). This, in turn, helps the course of labour. Because the pelvic floor is free, the midwife or doctor can observe the unrestricted dilation of the perineum during the expulsion phase.

Drive motors

One drive motor controls the forwards or backwards rotation of the spiral, providing additional possibilities for adopting an individual position.

The second drive motor lifts the spiral so that the midwife can also benefit from an ergonomically better position while helping with the delivery. This makes it easier to carry out a perineotomy or episiotomy, too.

The silent drive motors are driven by an infrared remote control device that is easily operated by the mother as well as by the midwife or doctor during delivery.