The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services

07/06/2025

✨ This Video Is A Day Late, But So Worth It ✨

Yesterday was International Homebirth Day, a day dedicated to honoring the beauty, strength, and autonomy of birthing at home. While I had every intention of sharing this then, some technical hiccups got in the way. But trust me, this is a birth story worth the wait.

Today, I’m so honored to share a glimpse into the incredible journey of a first-time mama birthing at home. From the raw, powerful roars of labor, to the very first cries of her baby… from birthing her placenta with strength and grace, to those sacred first snuggles with mom and dad, every moment was deeply moving and real.

Homebirth isn’t just a location, it’s a philosophy rooted in trust, informed choice, and support. On International Homebirth Day and every day, we celebrate the families who choose this path, the midwives who walk beside them, and the power of birthing in our own space, in our own way. 🌿

This short film captures a journey of love, courage, and life beginning at home. Thank you to this amazing family for allowing me to document such an intimate and powerful moment. 💛

-Danielle
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com

05/06/2025

🌸 Calling all expecting mamas! 🌸
There’s a FREE Pregnancy Bump & Brunch coming up on Saturday, June 21st from 10 AM–1 PM at Reclaim Chiropractic!

✨ Gentle stretch demo
🍼 Prenatal tips
🥐 Yummy brunch + swag bags
🤝 A great chance to connect with other mamas + local birth pros!

I’ll be contributing to the swag bags, so come grab some goodies and say hi! 💕
Tag a friend and make it a bump date! 👯‍♀️

🤰✨ Calling all mamas + birth pros!
You’re invited to our FREE Pregnancy Bump & Brunch hosted by Reclaim Chiropractic! 💕

📅 Saturday, June 21st
🕙 10 AM – 1 PM
📍 Reclaim Chiropractic

Whether you’re expecting your first baby or supporting others on their journey, this event is for you! 🌿

💫 Learn natural ways to feel your best before & after birth
💫 Connect with other local mamas over brunch
💫 Enjoy goodies, giveaways & expert advice
💫 Birth workers—share your services in our swag bags!

📲 RSVP by June 18th at 573-443-5900 or on our FB event!

Tag a mama who needs this! 💖

03/06/2025

Newborn chiropractic care, when performed by a qualified and gentle pediatric-trained chiropractor, is all about supporting the baby’s natural alignment and nervous system function from the very beginning of life. Birth, whether vaginal or via cesarean, is a physically intense process for both baby and mother. Even in the most uncomplicated deliveries, a baby’s spine and neck can experience pressure or slight misalignments during their journey earthside.

Gentle adjustments for newborns (which are nothing like adult chiropractic care, more like light pressure, similar to checking the ripeness of a peach) can help with:

- Nervous system regulation, supporting calmness and better sleep.

- Improved latch and feeding, especially if there’s tension in the jaw, neck, or shoulders.

- Relief from colic, gas, or reflux, which can sometimes be linked to spinal or digestive tension.

- Better overall alignment, promoting proper development and symmetry.

In these images I captured, this baby is just one hour old and immediately supported by his dad, a chiropractor, who offered him a loving, gentle adjustment to help ease the transition from womb to world. It’s a beautiful reminder that healing and wellness can begin right from birth.

Always ensure chiropractic care for infants is done by professionals with pediatric training and experience, and always in collaboration with a family’s overall wellness plan.

-Danielle
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com
The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services

14/05/2025

Choosing to birth at home allows you to shape the experience into one that’s calm, sacred, and deeply rooted in connection. When children are included in the process, witnessing their mother’s strength, hearing the rhythm of her breath, and seeing life begin right in the heart of their home, it plants seeds of reverence and understanding. Birth becomes less of a mystery and more of a celebration, a normal, awe-inspiring part of life they’ll carry with them forever.

Allowing your children to witness your labor can also build an unshakable foundation of respect for the birthing process. It teaches them that birth is not something to fear but something to honor. They see vulnerability and power coexist. They witness the unwavering support between partners and the village that can surround the mother. These are the moments that shape how they view life, love, and family, and being part of that moment can leave a lifelong imprint.

-Danielle
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com
Mid-Missouri Birth Photographer & Doula

Midwife: Mothers Embrace Birth Services, Sabrina Bias CPM

12/05/2025

What an incredible honor it was to document this powerful birth and walk alongside this beautiful woman as she stepped into motherhood. Witnessing her strength, vulnerability, and transformation was nothing short of inspiring. Her words, raw, emotional, honest, and full of beauty, truly capture the depth of the experience.

As she celebrated her very first Mother’s Day, I found myself reflecting on all the mothers whose stories I’ve had the privilege to witness and preserve. My heart was full seeing so many past clients sharing the images and videos I had the joy of capturing, moments that marked the beginning of their own journeys into motherhood.

It’s a profound blessing to be invited into such sacred, life-changing moments, not just to witness the birth of a baby, but the birth of a mother. These stories stay with me, and I carry them with deep gratitude.

-Danielle

Words from Jessica:

91 days of motherhood. It broke me open—and put me back together in ways I never expected.

I never wanted to be a mom.
And I definitely never wanted to be a single mom. That was my lifelong nightmare.

The first month nearly broke me.
The sleep deprivation.
The healing from an unexpected C-section.
The hormones.
Learning to breastfeed.
Feeling like a stranger in my own body.
Missing my freedom, my energy, my identity.

It still gets lonely—especially in the evenings when it’s just me.
I used to dwell in that.
Now, not so much.

Because Layla brought light.
She’s deepened every relationship in my life.
I never imagined being this close with my parents, my sisters… or missing them so much when they’re not around.

Co-parenting was hard at first.
Even that has become something lovely.
Watching Layla’s dad become a father— It’s softened something in me.
She’s changed everyone’s life for the better.
Already.

Now, 91 days in… I’m still adjusting.
My body still hurts.
I still don’t love breastfeeding.
Some days I don’t even brush my teeth.
My house is a disaster.
But I’m doing it.
And I’ve never been so in love.

Layla has changed everything.
Mother’s Day used to mean celebrating other women.
Now? It’s personal.
It’s sacred.
It feels like the biggest honor.

This isn’t easy.
It’s not always fun.
But it’s mine.
And it’s real.

I’m not rushing this.
She’ll never be this small again.
Every sleepy snuggle, every new sound, every 4am wake-up— I’m soaking it in.
Because time… I can never get back.

Happy Mother’s Day to the ones in it.
The ones who didn’t plan this,
The ones who are still healing,
Still figuring it out,
Still showing up.
Every. Single. Day.

09/05/2025

::Birth Storytime::

I had the honor of attending this beautiful birth as her doula & birth photographer last week. Here are some words form the beautiful woman and mother you see in these images:

The road to meeting our sweet baby boy was not particularly smooth. On March 21, 2023, we experienced an ectopic pregnancy, which led to surgery and eventually landed us in the IVF world. Two years later, on April 23, 2025, our baby entered the world with an intense rush, as if he was just as tired of the wait as we were! Baby boy's birth took place in a hospital via induction at 40 weeks and 4 days. While I really hoped to go into labor on my own, we chose to schedule this induction "just in case" in what felt like a reasonable middle ground between my preference for spontaneous labor and my particular risk factors for waiting much longer.

We started the process with pumping to see if that would kick things off. While pumping, I was having regular, easy contractions of the Braxton Hicks variety, but when we stopped pumping, they fizzled out. Eventually, at about 7:30am on the 23rd, I agreed to start Pitocin at a slow rate of increase. My body must have been ready because it didn't take much of this to get things going. By 11:30am, contractions were suddenly different and strong, taking all my attention. By about 12:30, I was desperate to get in the tub (so grateful for this option at my hospital). By about 1:30pm, I was ready to push. And at 2:04pm, that baby was out. It was wild! A quick note to all the ladies who have a cervical check during labor: If you hear a number that seems low for what you're experiencing... try not to place too much faith in it and what it could mean for the rest of your labor. In my case, I went from a "maybe 4-5" to complete in about 45 minutes. All the signs were pointing to progress when I got the very discouraging "maybe 4-5" assessment... So listen to your body as much as those numbers. It would take many more words to fully describe the experience of going from no real contractions to a baby in my arms in roughly 2.5 hours. But instead of trying that, I want to say this: the most important thing I did to make it through to the other side of that wild ride was not actually anything I did during labor.

In fact, the most important thing I did was to surround myself with the right people ahead of time. My doctor - we've built a lot of trust with her over the years, and her collaborative, evidence-based approach was a perfect fit for me. We were so lucky to have her with us for the actual birth, which I know doesn't always work out in a hospital setting. Then my doula, Danielle - her experience and intuition proved vital in this experience as, despite all my preparation, there were things about this birth that would have really thrown me off without her steady advice and encouragement. For example, I had no idea I could feel so "pushy" so early and be safely progressing. Finally, my husband was an amazing partner at every step - with decisions, coping strategies, keeping me fed and hydrated, and literally holding me up when I needed it. I think that support and connection was really beautifully captured in Danielle's photos, and I will treasure those photos as a way to remember what may have so easily faded away over time without them. Finally, I learned so much about the variety and beauty of birth from looking through other families' photos, which helped me be open to all kinds of possibilities. I hope these photos and this story help someone else find the same perspective. Wishing all the best for every beautiful mama out there.

The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com

25/04/2025

✨ The Power of Birth, the Beauty of Home ✨

There’s something sacred about welcoming new life in the space where love already lives. Witnessing this first-time mama bring her baby earthside, surrounded by warmth, water, and the steady presence of her mother there by her side, who is also a wonderful midwife in the Mid-Missouri area.

No bright lights. No rush. Just trust. Breath. Intuition.
She labored in her rhythm, and when her baby arrived, it was into hands held out with love, in a room that already knew her heart.

This is the magic of homebirth, raw, real, and deeply rooted in connection.
The way her partner whispered words of encouragement. The way her mother wept with joy, seeing her baby girl give birth to a new life. The way her baby opened their eyes and found home, immediately.

Birth isn’t just about arrival. It’s about presence. And this birth? It was presence in its purest form. 🌊💛

- Danielle The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com

22/04/2025

In her body, she carries the rhythm of the Earth, life forming within life, a sacred echo of creation. In her embrace, creation continues. On this , I honor the mothers who remind us of nature's enduring power and grace.

Pulled this image out of the archives. I originally did not edit this one and I was called to do so today. Another capture to add to her collection.

- Danielle
The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com

19/04/2025

Powerful words in this post. When humanity loses connection with the essence of natural, physiological birth, we sever our bond with the wisdom of our bodies, the strength of our ancestors, and the sacred rhythm that births not only life, but our deepest sense of trust, power, and belonging.

👁️ Did you ever wonder why the baby’s taken across the room? Why the cord is clamped fast, the mother left shaking, the lights so bright it feels like judgment?

Did you ever feel the stillness—the eerie quiet when the father’s hands are empty, the grandmother’s not in the room, and the newborn is nowhere near a breast?

It’s not just medicine.
It’s not just policy.
It’s a ritual.
And it’s not ours.

🧬 They inject pig-derived Pitocin to mimic the hormone God designed to flood a woman’s brain in labor. But it doesn’t reach the brain. It only contracts the body.
The love doesn’t flow.
The imprint doesn’t land.
The bonding doesn’t seal.
Just pressure. Just force.

💉 Synthetic love.
⚡ Counterfeit release.
🧠 Neurological silence.

And while the woman is watched but not touched, while the baby is wiped but not suckled, while the father is praised for being “supportive” but not leading—
they cut the thread.

👶 The mother-baby dyad was made to reflect divine intimacy. To pass down trust, peace, protection.
But when it’s broken—
the body remembers.
The child stores the grief.
The mother learns disconnection.
The father fades from view.

That’s how it starts. But it doesn’t end there.

Then come the bottles.
The cribs.
The high chairs.
The eight-hour separations called school.
The praise of independence that is really just early detachment.
The lie that the nuclear family is enough. That Mom runs the home. That Dad is just for weekends. That children are safest raised by strangers in buildings funded by gods they do not know.

🕳️ We are not looking at broken systems.
We are looking at precision-engineered fragmentation.

And you feel it. You’ve felt it all along.
That something was taken before you could name it.
That someone was missing even while you were being told you had “everything you need.”

But listen: the lie only wins if we let it.
And we won’t.
We are pulling the babies back to the breast.
We are restoring the mother's voice in the birth room.
We are putting grandmothers back at the table.
We are praying over the placenta.
We are keeping them close at night.
We are burning the counterfeit and walking in the design.
This is not soft work.
It is a holy war

17/04/2025

Storytime from this beautiful mama—a glimpse into what support looked like for her while birthing her son in the comfort of her home.

Through my creative work, my goal is always to capture connection, storytelling you can feel through imagery. I hope these moments, paired with Paige’s heartfelt words, allow you to experience that connection, too.

"My husband is a strong believer in physiologic birth, he will fiercely defend our choice to birth at home to those who question it. It is his confidence, intuition, and awe of the female body that make him the most incredible labor support. There are not words to express how impactful that is both physically and emotionally as the laborer. It’s a supportive touch, hip squeezes, or words of encouragement always at the right time that propels one through a trying set of contractions or a moment of doubt. I quite simply could not and would not want to labor without him.

This pregnancy we found ourselves without a midwife at 32 weeks. It brought on a lot of stress to start over in the selection of our birth team. Little did we know then that it would be the best thing to happen to us. Our birth team was comprised of the most incredible women. Their support in navigating each challenge in labor kept me comfortable and confident. They were hands on when I needed support and hands off when I was in a rhythm. They were honest and encouraging through each challenge labor presented.

“I felt SO supported” is a phrase I have iterated countless times since giving birth. The confidence of every individual in our birthing space created the most beautiful atmosphere."

www.thebirthkeeperllc.com


























Presets: Embrace Presets - Lightroom & ACR Presets

13/02/2025

Documenting those baby days at home during a motherhood session is like capturing a mix of pure magic and a as they grow, it can get a little wild at times. Ha! Kind of like a tiny, adorable tornado that never stops moving and is so interested in the world around them. It’s the sweet moments, those first gummy smiles, the way their little hands wrap around your finger like it’s the most precious thing in the world. Taking pictures or writing about these moments is like hitting pause on time, so you can remember just how much your baby has changed and how much you've changed right alongside them.

There’s the soft, quiet bonding as they fall asleep while nursing on your chest. It’s an honest look at the tenderness and the total unpredictability of those early days, where love and exhaustion live hand in hand, and every giggle or coo feels like winning the lottery.

The journey of motherhood is pure magic and motherhood has a way of transforming you, pushing you to discover strengths you never knew you had and teaching you patience in ways you never thought possible. It stretches you, physically, emotionally, and mentally, forcing you to grow in ways that might feel overwhelming at first, but ultimately leave you more resilient, self-aware, and deeply connected to your own sense of purpose.

-Danielle
www.thebirthkeeperllc.com
The Birthkeeper, LLC - Missouri Birth & Creative Services