Pregnant Jennifer Lawrence on Not Talking About Baby to Press: I Want to 'Protect Their Privacy'

Soon-to-be mom Jennifer Lawrence wants to keep her baby out of the public eye.

In a wide-ranging cover story for the December issue of Vanity Fair, the pregnant actress, 31, opens up about her baby on the way and the boundaries she's setting as a mother.

Lawrence, who is currently expecting her first baby with husband Cooke Maroney, tells reporter Karen Valby that while she's "grateful and excited" to become a mom, she wants to keep her child out of the conversation.

"If I was at a dinner party, and somebody was like, 'Oh, my God, you're expecting a baby,' I wouldn't be like, 'God, I can't talk about that. Get away from me, you psycho!' But every instinct in my body wants to protect their privacy for the rest of their lives, as much as I can," she explains.

"I don't want anyone to feel welcome into their existence," Lawrence adds. "And I feel like that just starts with not including them in this part of my work."

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Lawrence tells Valby at the start of the interview that she's "so nervous" to chat about the past few years of her life as she "[hasn't] spoken to the world in forever."

"And to come back now, when I have all of these new accessories added to my life that I obviously want to protect …" she continues, referencing her baby bump. "I'm nervous for you. I'm nervous for me. I'm nervous for the readers!"

The actress's rep confirmed to PEOPLE in September that Lawrence and Maroney are expecting their first child together. A film source close to the actress previously told PEOPLE that Lawrence is "looking forward" to becoming a new parent.

Last week, Lawrence put her baby bump on display at an intimate screening, Q&A and reception at the Ross House in Los Angeles for her upcoming Netflix film Don't Look Up, out Dec. 24 on the streaming platform.

For the special occasion, Lawrence looked stylish in a long-sleeve green Ciao Lucia mini dress that hugged her baby bump. She coordinated the look with a pair of strappy red heels.

Earlier this month, Lawrence was spotted out for a stroll in New York City, bundled up in several layers to stay warm in the chilly weather.

The star covered her baby bump in a black jacket layered with a navy windbreaker. The Oscar winner also wore a pair of black sunglasses and slide sandals as she listened to her headphones while walking the streets.