Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder are taking a month of silence—here’s what that means

For many, the first few weeks after having a baby are filled with sleepless nights, constant Googling, and a steady stream of visitors. But parents-to-be Nikki Reed and Ian Somerhalder—who are expecting their first child this month—are trying to prevent at least one of those things.

In the September issue of Fit Pregnancy, Reed explains that the couple will be putting up a theoretical “do not disturb” sign for a little while. “We’ll take the baby’s first month for ourselves,” she says. “After the baby arrives, we’re doing one month of silence. Just the three of us, no visitors, and we’re turning off our phones too, so there’s no expectation for us to communicate. Otherwise, every five minutes it would be, ‘How are you feeling? Can we have a picture?’ You don’t get those first 30 days back, and we want to be fully present.”

“After the baby arrives, we’re doing one month of silence. Just the three of us, no visitors, and we’re turning off our phones too, so there’s no expectation for us to communicate.”

Despite a few Instagram posts—and the just-released magazine cover feature—the celebrity couple has been pretty quiet about the pregnancy. In fact, they kept their big news a secret for a long time, even from family.

“We waited months to tell even friends and family that we were expecting,” Reed says. “It started out with us not knowing how long we’d keep it private. Then it started to feel like we had this really cool thing, a secret with just each other. The downside was that I had moments of wishing I could do things other pregnant mamas were doing. But the upside was that we started the journey without having to open up about it to anyone else, and that made it special.”

As for the sleepless nights? If they’re anything like their vampiric alter egos—she as Rosalie Hale in the Twilight series and he as Damon Salvatore on The Vampire Diaries—these two have it covered.

Could having a mind coach on demand be the key to a healthy, happy pregnancy? Here’s what one woman says. And if you’re pregnant and experiencing things that seem weird—like leaky breasts or bumpy nipples—rest assured you’re not alone.