Christy Jo Hendricks, IBCLC is an international speaker, educator, inventor, and author known for her innovative ability to simplify complex lactation concepts for diverse audiences. With 15 years as a high school teacher and over 22 years with the Department of Public Health WIC Program, she brings a powerful blend of classroom expertise and public health experience to perinatal education.
A pioneer in lactation training, Christy Jo developed the Grow Our Own Lactation Consultant/IBCLC Prep Course in 2010, which has helped hundreds of aspiring professionals successfully prepare for the IBCLC exam. In 2024, she launched Lactation University’s Certified Lactation Professional (CLP) 95+ Hour Lactation Training, a LEAARC-endorsed program providing high-quality virtual lactation education grounded in mentorship, evidence-based practice, and community. She also created and teaches the Foundations of Lactation Education (FLE) course for perinatal professionals seeking to strengthen breastfeeding knowledge and communication skills. She has personally supported over 2,000 breastfeeding advocates with her lactation courses. In addition to scheduled classes, Christy Jo offers staff training, in-services, conference presentations, and plenary sessions.
Christy Jo’s work has earned national recognition, including the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Phyllis Klaus Founder’s Award for strengthening the mother–baby bond, the Above and Beyond Award for innovative public health projects, Lactation Educator Faculty of the Year, and the CAPPA Visionary Award.
As a practicing IBCLC, childbirth educator, and doula, Christy Jo continues to elevate perinatal education while mentoring the next generation of lactation professionals. Based in California, she is deeply committed to expanding access to evidence-based breastfeeding education and empowering professionals to better serve families.
Christy Jo Hendricks, IBCLC is an international speaker, educator, inventor, and author known for her innovative ability to simplify complex lactation concepts for diverse audiences. With 15 years as a high school teacher and over 22 years with the Department of Public Health WIC Program, she brings a powerful blend of classroom expertise and public health experience to perinatal education.
A pioneer in lactation training, Christy Jo has developed several lactation courses. She created the Grow Our Own Lactation Consultant/IBCLC Prep Course in 2010, which has helped hundreds of aspiring professionals successfully prepare for the IBCLC exam. In 2024, she launched Lactation University’s Certified Lactation Professional (CLP) 95+ Hour Lactation Training, a LEAARC-endorsed program providing high-quality virtual lactation education grounded in mentorship, evidence-based practice, and community. She also created and teaches the Foundations of Lactation Education (FLE) course for perinatal professionals seeking to strengthen breastfeeding knowledge and communication skills. She has personally supported over 2,000 breastfeeding advocates with her lactation courses.
Christy Jo’s work has earned national recognition, including the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award, the Phyllis Klaus Founder’s Award for strengthening the mother–baby bond, the Above and Beyond Award for innovative public health projects, Lactation Educator Faculty of the Year, and the CAPPA Visionary Award.
As a practicing IBCLC, childbirth educator, and doula, Christy Jo continues to elevate perinatal education while mentoring the next generation of lactation professionals. Based in California, she is deeply committed to expanding access to evidence-based breastfeeding education and empowering professionals to better serve families.
Christy Jo Hendricks, IBCLC is an international speaker, educator, inventor, and author dedicated to making lactation science accessible and practical for perinatal professionals. With 15 years as a high school teacher and over 22 years with the Department of Public Health WIC Program, she brings extensive experience in education, mentorship, and community outreach.
She has created two LEAARC-endorsed IBCLC Prep Courses. She developed the Grow Our Own IBCLC Prep Course in 2010 and launched the Lactation University Certified Lactation Professional (CLP) 95+ Hour Lactation Training and the Foundations of Lactation Education (FLE) courses in 2024. She has supported over 2,000 students with her programs.
A recipient of the U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award, Phyllis Klaus Founder’s Award, and CAPPA Visionary Award, Christy Jo is passionate about educating and mentoring the next generation of lactation leaders and improving breastfeeding support worldwide.
Her informative, yet entertaining teaching style makes learning enjoyable and retention easy.
Join CALCA for our monthly general meeting. We have the honor to host Christy Jo Hendricks.
Christy is an international speaker and award-winning lactation educator who has spent over two decades in public health empowering families to meet their feeding goals and training the next generation of lactation consultants.
She’s the founder of Lactation University and creator of two LEAARC-endorsed IBCLC Prep Courses known for their high exam success rates. She brings passion, clarity, and engagement to everything she teaches!
Come welcome Christy on Saturday Feb. 21 at 9:00 a.m. MST.
November 18, 2025
12:30PM-2:00PM PT
This presentation highlights how much of the vocabulary and
terms used by professionals can be confusing and
intimidating to lay people. The talk focuses on ways to
simplify breastfeeding through visual instruction and
common language. Many teaching suggestions and strategies
are given throughout the presentation. Educators and
advocates must strive to translate perinatal jargon into
familiar words and explain complexities in simple language.
The process of using common vocabulary will help
professionals communicate and reach everyone with the vital
message that human milk is vital to human babies
Get that idea of creating a prenatal breastfeeding class out of your head and make it a reality! You have wisdom to share, but how do you share it in a way that captures parents’ attention and appeals to different learning styles? In this interactive presentation, I’ll guide you through the process of creating a prenatal breastfeeding class. Join in as we work with tools and handouts that will help you create a prenatal breastfeeding class that meets the goal of setting parents up for breastfeeding success!
As educators and health organizations, we mostly target prenatal women with the breastfeeding message and then are surprised at the push-back we receive from those who do not embrace breastfeeding. In order to tip the scale in breastfeeding acceptance, we must broaden our audience.
This presentation will focus on reaching a larger audience. We must project our message to the masses. It is crucial to share breastfeeding education to society, early and frequently. Breastfeeding education should begin in the school system and be geared for each age appropriately.
We must offer education in a way that each person and organization understands how it applies to them and their situation. For instance, employers will be more likely to embrace the employee that breastfeeds if they understand the far-reaching effects of breastfeeding. The lawmakers will be more likely to approve lactation laws if they comprehend the need for legislation. Partners will offer appropriate support if they receive the same education that is often reserved for the pregnant woman. This presentation will give suggestions of how to reach family, communities, professionals, and lawmakers with the breastfeeding message. When societies embrace breastfeeding, they will embrace breastfeeding women and see it as the norm.
Motivational Interviewing (MI) is a proven, successful method of guiding clients to experience real change. It is based in the belief that all individuals understand their own situation best and it is imperative to collaborate with them in their care plan. This presentation will explain how clinicians and counselors can help facilitate behavioral change by using the spirit, principles and techniques of MI. This topic is suited for all professionals who desire to learn counseling skills and techniques to guide clients to reach their desired outcomes.
This talk uses humor and scenarios to point out the necessity that those entrusted with a family’s care be professional, inclusive and open in order to provide the best support possible. We explore connections we should make as lactation professionals and emphasize the importance of referring to the client’s care team. When lactation consultants create strong relationships with other professionals in the community, they are able to make appropriate referrals avoid burn-out.
This topic explores the many ways to communicate successfully with prenatal and postpartum individuals. The talk highlights open-ended questions, affirmations, education and the anticipated results of three-step counseling. The presentation also explains how to recognize “change talk” and what words may signal an “open door” to further opportunities for sharing. Circle Charts and Participant Centered Education are discussed in detail. This talks prepares the counselor to share information in an open-minded, non-judgmental way that results in profitable teaching and learning for the counselor and perinatal person. These skills are presented in a fun, unique way and provide more tools for the lactation educator’s tool box.
Making Milk is full of artistic examples of breastfeeding and various options for supplementing with mamas milk. This coloring book promotes mindfulness while enjoying reading the affirmations and creating an artistic work of art.
Mommy Feeds Baby is a wonderful children’s book that normalizes breastfeeding. This book portrays the natural, organic and nutritional food moms provide through breastmilk; and the bonding that is created through breastfeeding. The lack of breastfeeding educational material for children prompted the production of Mommy Feeds Baby. This book fills a void that has been lingering in homes and hospitals where breastfeeding is the preferred feeding choice.
Moms and children love the message and delivery of this unique, pioneering book that depicts breastfeeding as unique and individual as it is. The breastfed children and families displayed in Mommy Feeds Baby vary in age and ethnicity. Illustrations display infants to toddlers, dyads to tandem, families and siblings-all involved in the celebration of breastfeeding. This hardback book contains remarkable illustrations that have been digitally enhanced and animated in order to captivate young audiences. The repetitious, easy-to-read phrase, confirms what many individuals wish to convey, and has children chanting, “Mommy feeds Baby.” A book on such a personal topic would not be complete without a page reserved for the reader’s own photograph. The last page in the book has been dedicated for moms to document their own breastfeeding experience. This space allows moms to incorporate themselves into the story by recording their favorite breastfeeding memory and inserting a personal photograph. It is important to remember the early years, and Mommy Feeds Baby provides a perfect outlet to commemorate the precious memories of bonding and breastfeeding.