Paris Hiltonbecame a mom for the first time with the birth of her son at the start of the new year in 2023.
The media personality and her husband, Carter Reum, quietly welcomed their first child together,Phoenix Barron Hilton Reum, on Jan. 16, 2023, via surrogate.
“It’s always been my dream to be a mother,” Paris told PEOPLE, adding, “I’m so happy that Carter and I found each other.”
Less than one year after Phoenix was born, the pair — who married in late 2021 — revealed in November 2023 that they had welcomed their second child together, a daughter named London.
Here’s everything to know about Paris Hilton and Carter Reum’s son Phoenix.
Phoenix was born via surrogate
Paris Hilton with her son Phoenix.Paris Hilton/Instagram
Paris Hilton/Instagram
Phoenix wasborn via surrogateon Jan. 16, 2023. Paris had previously shared her excitement for starting a family during a 2022 episode ofThe Bellas PodcastwithNikkiandBrie Bella.
“I love being married,” she said, adding, “I finally have my home and I just can’t wait to start a family and have kids.” She went on to say that she and Carter started “talking about kids since the beginning,” revealing that it came up within a few months of dating.
In an interview withGlamour UK, Paris opened up about why she chose surrogacy.
The former reality star shared that the decision was based on past trauma. When she was 16,she experienced sexual abuseat the Utah boarding school Provo Canyon, which left her afraid of the medical exams that go along with pregnancy.
“I’m just so scared. I think, again, leading back to Provo of even being in a doctor’s office, just all of that. The shots, the IVs that they put in,” she shared. “But I want a family so bad, it’s just the physical part of doing it. I’m just so scared … childbirth and death are the two things that scare me more than anything in the world.”
When the time came for the surrogate to deliver Phoenix, Paris arrived at the hospital in disguise to avoid the media, she toldHarper’s Bazaar. She wore a brunette wig and used a different name at the hospital to ensure thathis birth was kept private.
“My entire life has been so public,” she explained. “I’ve never had anything for myself. We decided that we wanted to have this whole experience to ourselves.”
Kathy Hilton didn’t know about Phoenix’s arrival until a week after his birth
Presley Ann/The Hollywood Reporter/Getty
To completely ensure privacy, only Paris, Carter and their surrogate knew when Phoenix would be born. Paris even kept the news from her mom and sister until he was over a week old.
“It was really nice to have that with Carter, be our own journey together,” she said on her podcast.
Speaking to PEOPLE,Kathy Hiltoncalled him a “perfect addition to our ever-growing, beautiful family,” and said she and her husband,Rick Hilton, were “over the moon” after his birth.
Since Phoenix’s birth, Kathy has been spendinga lot of quality timewith her youngest grandchild. During an appearance onThe Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Paris revealed that Kathy is “obsessed with showing up all the time, unannounced.”
She added: “I’m like, ‘Mom, when did you get here?’ ‘Oh, I’ve been here for hours!’ "
Paris chose Phoenix’s name “years ago”
Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic
Paris has had the name Phoenix Barronpicked out for quite a while.
While reading an excerpt from her upcoming book,Paris: The Memoir,she opened up about the meaning of the name. “We plan to name him Phoenix, a name I decided on years ago when I was searching cities, countries and states on a map looking for something to go with Paris and London,” she read.
She said that the name Phoenix was one of resilience. “It’s the bird that flames out and then rises from the ashes to fly again,” she read. “I want my son to grow up knowing that disaster and triumph go around and come around throughout our lives. And that this should give us great hope for the future.”
One famous friend already guessed Phoenix’s name before he was born. During an appearance onThe Ellen DeGeneres Showin January 2022,Ellen DeGeneresasked Paris if she planned on using a geographical name for her future son. When she said she did, DeGeneres took a few guesses, and “Phoenix” was one of them.
Paris sings “Stars Are Blind” to Phoenix
Paris Hilton Instagram
When Paris and Carter brought Phoenix home for the first time, they told their staff the house was being painted, thus giving them a full two days alone with their newborn.
Paris plans on slowing down now that she’s a mother
Marcus Ingram/Getty
Welcoming Phoenix changed everything for Paris.
“I’m more interested in babies than billions,” she toldHarpers Bazaar, explaining that she has every intention of slowing down career-wise. “I want to protect him and to be with him every second.”
Paris added: “You have this mother instinct that kicks in, which I’ve never had before. I feel so complete now.”
In October 2023, Paris told PEOPLE that her love for Phoenix exceeds anything she’s ever felt before.
She also added that she has learned the power of “saying no” and making sure she is prioritizing her son over her career.
“I’m constantly saying no to things, because I just want to spend as much time with him as possible, and I just don’t want to miss any of these special moments in his life and all these milestones,” she told PEOPLE.
Phoenix looks a lot like Paris
parishilton/Instagram
On theI Am Parispodcast, Carter and Paris talked about how much Phoenix resembles his mom.
“I think he looks like me,” Paris said. To which Carter replied: “Thank God. I’m hoping he looks like you, he shares both of our brains, is tall like Dada, funny like Dada, and can dance like Mama.”
“I saw his eyes the other day and having looked into your eyes so many times, I kind of got chills because that’s Paris' eyes,” Carter added.
Paris Hilton/ Instagram
Her comment section was soon full of people commenting criticism about the size of her son’s head, implying he was unhealthy and needed to see a doctor. Paris addressed the hate in the comment section of a TikTok video discussing the issue where she wrote that he was “perfectly healthy” and just “has a large brain.”
“This hurts my heart more deeply than words can describe. I’ve worked hard to cultivate an environment that is all about love, respect, and acceptance, and I expect the same in return,” she continued.
She added that she felt no matter what she did, she received criticism, whether she posted photos of Phoenix or not.
Shelater thanked her fansfor being “kind and thoughtful” when she posted a video of herself reacting to a Tiktok video compilation of sweet photos of herself and Phoenix.
“🥹 Thank you for making this beautiful video. Made me cry 🥲,” Paris wrote across the stitched video. “So kind & thoughtful to make this & show me their [sic] is kindness in this world 🥰.”
Phoenix is close to his cousins
Nicky Hilton/Instagram
Paris is close to her younger sisterNicky Hilton Rothschildand their babies are too. Nicky revealed thattheir children play togetherwhenever Paris visits N.Y.C.
“My sister is in town with her son Phoenix and it’s really cute,” Nicky told PEOPLE in October 2023. “My kids are having playdates with her kids every day after school. They don’t visit New York often so it’s fun to have all the cousins together.”
“They’re also going to the park in Washington Square. It’s been beautiful fall weather,” she added.
He is a big brother
Paris Hilton and Carter Milliken Reum.Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Paris Hilton Instagram
Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Paris Hilton Instagram
In addition to announcing London’s arrival on Instagram, she shared the exciting news in aTikTokposted on Thanksgiving. In the video, theParis in Lovestar can be seen asking her niece and nephew, “You guys excited for your new cousin?”
“You have two babies?” asked her nephew in response.
“I have two babies,” confirmed Paris.
In a separate video shared on her Instagram Story on Thanksgiving Day, Paris and Reum were seen dancing at the dinner table with Phoenix as Reum shouted, “Big brother, big brother!”
source: people.com
