Forming the ambience-setting base of the BirthRite Floor Studio is this aesthetically contoured Floor Mat. It defines the work area for the birthing team and their equipment. By creating a psychological barrier from unwelcome interference, it provides an element of intimacy, privacy and exclusivity: anyone not involved in the immediate birth-work has no place on the Mat!
The Floor Mat’s yielding surface allows the labouring woman to feel comfortable when bare-footed or kneeling. Yet its composition is still firm enough so as not to well up around her when she is on all fours. The Mat also provides comfort for the midwife should she wish to kneel in front of the woman on the Birthing Seat or to slide into the half-sitting, half-kneeling position whilst assisting at the actual birth. And no more standing around for hours on hard floors!
The Mat is made from high-grade EVA closed-cell foam with built-in memory. This material returns to its flat-surface shape, even after exposure to prolonged pressure from persons or objects. It is impermeable to bacteria and fire-retardant. For further protection, the foam is heat-sealed into a marine-grade vinyl sleeve. This vinyl is tough, slip-resistant, fire-retardant and sanitized to inhibit the growth of bacteria, mould and mildew. Stabilized with UV protection, it will resist fading and discolouration. It is most important to clean this material only with a chemically neutral soap and warm water! Hospital antiseptics could affect its pre-sanitization treatment and make the vinyl hard and brittle over time.
The BirthRite Floor Mat is available in two sizes:–
- Large (illustrated above left): 2100 mm x 1900 mm = 82.7 in x 74.8 in
- Small (illustrated above right): 1640 mm x 1000 mm = 64.6 in x 39.4 in
The Large Floor Mat can be folded in half and/or rolled for transfer to another location. The Small Floor Mat can be ordered in two versions: one that can be folded in half and one that can be rolled up.
The Small Floor Mat forms the base for the BirthRite Mini Studio. In this situation, the Small Floor Mat is designed to accommodate the labouring woman on the Birthing Seat and the midwife on her Midwife Seat, providing both with a soft surface for various floor-related activities during childbirth. As with the Large Floor Mat, a statement is made about the exclusivity of the area in favour of the interactively engaged birthing team.