Andrea Robertson: A brief biography

Andrea Robertson has been a childbirth educator since 1974. Having worked as an Occupational Therapist in both Australia and New York, following the birth of her two children she became active in consumer maternity groups. As National President of Parents Centres Australia from 1978-1984, she orchestrated many campaigns for the improvement of maternity services in Australia, and initiated many programs of educational services for health professionals and consumers.

In 1985 Andrea established Associates in Childbirth Education (ACE), a private educational consultancy to continue the training of educators and to provide in-service and update workshops for midwives and other health professionals interested in birth. This is still the only such consultancy in Australia, and now provides the most comprehensive training in childbirth education in Australia. In 1994, a Branch office was established in the United Kingdom to enable ACE services to reach the United Kingdom and European Community.

ACE is also the major sponsor of overseas speakers within Australia, and arranges seminars and workshops using international guest lecturers. Many such events and speaking tours have been arranged, with speakers such as Michel Odent, Caroline Flint, Murray Enkin, Marsden Wagner, Doris Haire, Nicky Leap, Ann-Marie Widstrom, Janet Balaskas, Elizabeth Davis and Wendy Savage amongst others.

ACE Graphics, an associated business, provides teaching aids, equipment and books which support the "active birth" philosophy and midwifery care. This extensive service is available both online and by mail order through our offices in Sydney and London.

Andrea Robertson was instrumental in establishing the first training course for childbirth educators in Australia in 1977, using models from the US (ICEA) and the UK (NCT) as the basis of designing a course with distance learning as one of its objectives. Over the years this course has evolved, and in 1993 the Course was accredited through the Australian Government's Vocational Education and Training Accreditation Board as a Graduate Diploma in Childbirth Education (a world first).

Leading pre-natal classes for expectant parents has been an important part of her work, and she has presented these in a variety of formats. In addition, she has attended many births as a support person, and provided individual counselling for private clients.

Her first book, Preparing for Birth was published in 1987 and has quickly established itself as one of the most widely used class handouts in the Australia and the best selling book on birth in Australia. Teaching Active Birth was published in 1988, and Making Birth Easier in 1990. Empowering Women -- teaching active birth, published in 1994, has been acclaimed by childbirth educators, and her latest book, The Midwife Companion -- the art of support during birth was released in February 1997.

Although based in Sydney, she travels extensively to present workshops, around Australia and overseas to the United Kingdom, the United States, South East Asia, Japan and New Zealand.

Workshop Presentations

Andrea presents an average of 50 two-day worksops each year in a number of countries. These are primarily "Active Birth" workshops, but also include "Effective Education", "Empowering Women", "Teaching Skills for Educators" and custom designed programs for specific Hospitals and Departments of Health.

Speaking engagements include

• Keynote speaker and invited international guest 1st International Congress on Perinatology, Maternity Interlagos, Sao Paulo, Brazil (February 2002)
• Presentation, "Home Birth - Empowering Women", St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, England.
• Workshop presentations at the 1st Annual Preparing for Parenthood Conference "Antenatal Education but not as you know it", Birmingham, UK
• Presentation for the Bro Morgannwg NHS Trust Conference "Keeping Birth Normal", Cardiff, Wales.

• Keynote international speaker "2001 - A Nursing Odyssey, Hospital to Home"  University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.
• Awarded first Honorary Fellowship of the Australian College of Midwives, Inc (September 2001).

• International Conference on the Humanisation of Childbirth, Fortaleza, Brazil - Workshop presentations.

• "Active Birth" workshop for doctors and midwives, sponsored by the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Foundation of Thailand
• "Active Birth" workshop series for the Perinatal Educators Network of South Africa (Johannesburg, Capetown, Port Elizabeth, Durban)
• Keynote speaker, Annual Midwifery Conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

• Keynote Speaker, "Midwives and Educators - Making a difference" Conference, Rand Africaans University, Johannesburg.
• Workshop in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur) for Parenting Concepts
• "Effective Education" workshop, Auckland, New Zealand
• MANA Conference, Michigan, USA: Keynote Speaker and Pre-conference two day workshop on "Active Birth"
• "Changing Trends" Lecture Tour (Keynote Speaker) for the Childbirth and Breastfeeding Foundation of Thailand (Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Had Yai)

• Speaker and workshop presenter, "Birth Without Borders" Conference, Chiangmai, Thailand
• Presentation for the Japanese Association for Childbirth Educators, Tokyo

• Training program for doctors and workshop for midwives - Bangkok

• National Childbirth Trust, London, "Active Birth" workshop
• National Association of Childbirth Educators Conference, Canberra
• Irish Childbirth Trust, speaker at "Reclaiming Birth" Lecture, Dublin
• Northern Ireland School of Midwifery, speaker at "Reclaiming Birth" Conference, Belfast
• Presentation for staff at the Samitivej Private Hospital, Bangkok

• Pre and Perinatal Psychology Association of North America (PPPANA) Conference,
• Washington DC - Speaker and pre-Conference "Active Birth" workshop

• University of California, San Diego - "Active Birth" workshop
• 2nd International Homebirth Conference, Sydney

• Australian Association of Childbirth Educators Conference, Sydney

1989

• Keynote Address, Childbirth Education Association Biennial Conference, Sydney

1988

• Keynote Speaker, Federation of New Zealand Parents Centres Conference
• International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA) Convention, Hawaii
• First National Conference, Australian Association of Childbirth Educators, Melbourne