(CNN) — Paris Hilton has been in the spotlight for so long that she and her husband Carter Reum decided to keep the birth of their child through surrogacy private.
So much so, in fact, that Hilton told Harper’s Bazaar magazine she dressed up to go to the hospital for her birth.
“My whole life has been so public,” he told the publication. “I’ve never had anything for myself. We decided we wanted the whole experience to ourselves.”
Hilton said she donned a brown wig and hoodie when she checked into the hospital under a false name when her son was born in January.
She was featured on the cover of Legacy magazine.
The businesswoman, who helped start the “be famous to be famous” phenomenon, said she felt a strong urge to protect her son. Given all the attention she’s received since she was a teenager and the traumatic experience she endured after being placed on a behavior change program, it makes sense.
“I want to protect him and be with him every second,” he said. “You have this maternal instinct that I’ve never had before. I feel so complete now.”
She said she and Reum told staff they needed to paint their new house so they could have two days alone with their new son.
Hilton also expressed her happiness at her union with Reum, who she married in November 2021.
“I feel like after all the hell I’ve been through, I’m finally getting what I deserve, which is someone I can trust and build a real life with.”