Prep For Your In-Home Newborn Session

The Payne & Co. way.

Simple, slow, and real.

Those first days with a brand-new human feel dreamlike. Soft around the edges. Time blurs, sleep is strange, and you move through the world one-handed. Scheduling a session in the middle of that haze can feel overwhelming, so I keep things simple: no production, no pressure. Just your real life, gently documented as it happens.

Wear something you already feel good in.

Choose clothes you’ve actually worn on your postpartum body. Something soft, something you can comfortably feed in (something that moves with you.)
Try it on a few days beforehand so you’re not guessing the morning of. Trust me on this one.

Don’t clean for me.

Truly. We only need tiny pockets of light: a cozy corner, the nursery, your bed, your couch. The lived-in details are apart of the story. Aesthetic or not, this is what life looks like right now, and it deserves to be remembered.

Feed the baby whenever they want.

There’s no schedule here. If they’re hungry, we stop. If they want to be held the entire time, we’ll roll with it.
In-home sessions are intentionally slow and quiet. A space where real life leads the way.

Keep the room warm.

A slightly warmer house helps your baby stay sleepy and comfortable. A clean towel tossed in the dryer beforehand works great!

Snacks you can eat with one hand.

You might forget to eat that morning. Keep fruit, granola bars, water or anything easy nearby. Feed yourself, too.

What about siblings?

They don’t need to act “perfect.”
They can be curious, excited, unsure, gentle for two seconds and then run off. All of it is normal. The best images usually happen in the in-between moments.

Plan nothing else that day.

No errands, no appointments, no big outing after. Everything feels easier when the rest of the day is wide open.

You show up exactly as you are.
I’ll take care of the rest.

Inquire to book your newborn session.

Payne & Co. Photography — An intentional family, newborn and couples photographer based in New Orleans, capturing emotive, storytelling sessions throughout the city and surrounding parishes.

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