Nadya Suleman, better known as Octomom, used her fifteen minutes of fame to shock the world when she became pregnant through IVF with eight babies, all at once! Though many didn’t realize she already had six other kids at the time, making her a mother of fourteen children. Now that some time has passed since her story broke, her kids are all grown. If you’re curious to see how they ended up, read on.
Who Was Octomom Before the Fame
Nadya Suleman is an American woman who became a media sensation and shocked the world when she was pregnant with eight babies. She gave birth to all of them despite claims that this was extremely dangerous and potentially life-threatening to her as well as the little ones. But before she had this many kids, she was a child herself. She was born in California, United States, and lived with her mom and dad as an only child.
They say life is full of surprises, and Nadya’s life is no different.
A Mother’s Love Is Like No Other
Nadya Suleman grew up very close to her mother and credited her for being a good role model in her life. Nadya always knew she wanted to be a mother and influence children like her mom did for her. Thankfully by the time she had her children, her mom was right there, along her side to help. All fourteen children have grown up with their grandma playing a very active role in their lives.
No one could’ve guessed that the little face in the picture above would be a single mother to fourteen children when she grew up, or what she would do to raise them.
Maybe This Is Why She Wanted a Big Family
Today Nadya has an enormous family and children galore. But that wasn’t always the case for her; being in a big family is relatively new. To much surprise, she actually grew up as an only child, which can be incredibly lonely sometimes. Some even believe this might be the reason why she wanted such a large family of her own. This allowed her to experience something she was missing her entire childhood.
In hopes of filling that void, the future Octomom needed to turn to something.
Another Year, Another Kid
It was 2002, and Nadya had just given birth to a baby boy Elijah a year prior while welcoming a baby girl Amerah. Both these kids were, of course, born from in vitro treatments to the single mom, yet she wasn’t quite satisfied. She continued the fertility treatments and soon birthed a set of twins followed by another two kids. Although she had six children at that time, which is a hefty load for most, she couldn’t stop.
She had already struggled at that time to support her family but decided to keep going. She would soon turn to bizarre measures to keep up with the chaos she created.
This Was Never Supposed to Happen
Nadya wanted to ensure she got pregnant again after undergoing another fertility treatment, so the Beverly Hills doctor Michael Kamrava, implanted way over the advised amount of embryos. Although this was an enormous risk for a woman of her age because the recommended max of embryos to carry was three. However, she apparently asked for six and was injected with twelve! This was ultimately against protocol and turned into an ethical dilemma as well.
The doctor who did the procedure lost his medical license because of how irresponsible and dangerous it could’ve been. She’s lucky to have lived and only time would tell if the babies would survive.
Getting a Taste of Fame
When the world heard about Nadya Suleman and her birth to the first surviving octuplets in America, they were fascinated. Her face was everywhere, every talk show wanted to interview her, and reality show offers were endless. Her drive to give birth to dozens of children left many speechless. She got a taste of fame and ran with it, joining celebrity boxing matches. She was as controversial as it got but admitted, that she was so broke that she felt it was the best thing to do at the time to support her growing family.
She even hired a PR team in hopes of managing her public image and maximizing any other opportunities that came her way. Although it didn’t help, it only got scarier from here on out.
She Would’ve Never Guessed Her Life Turned Out This Way
Nadya became “Octomom” in the media, and it carried a particular persona; one of a lady so desperate for attention and children that she couldn’t stop having them. A woman who would do about anything for cash. There was a time when she embraced it, but after the constant criticism and judgment, she became humiliated. People questioned if she was fit to be a mother, and she suddenly wished to erase the entire persona, afraid of how it would affect all of her children in the long run.
Nadya felt her only option for survival was to play into the character that the media built for her so that she could cash in on any opportunity. The question was, how long could she keep up the facade?
Struggling to Make Ends Meet
Naturally, providing for fourteen children and herself became a massive burden on Nadya. Despite her sudden fame, she was still not making nearly enough to cover all of her bills and expenses. She couldn’t find a stable job and resorted to a short-lived pornographic film career, boxing, and stripping in a nightclub, which only made her feel guilty about her behavior. Nadya admitted she needed government assistance, but even the welfare was still insufficient.
She had no idea how she could possibly make ends meet or what she would resort to next.
Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures
Nadya has had her fair share of hardships and challenging times. At one point, she failed to pay her rent on time, and her landlord became livid and decided to evict her, along with her fourteen children. Admitting it was a stressful time would be an understatement. She wondered if her kids would be taken away from her or if they would end up on the street. This was when she decided it was time to cash in on her fame and start doing interviews and other gigs offered to her.
Though she has done questionable things, she claims it was all to financially support her family.
Their Endless Search for a Home
Nadya’s main priority was finding a way to put a roof over their heads and consistently have enough to provide for her family. She managed to raise and care for fourteen children in just a tiny two-bedroom apartment. She did this with hardly any help from anyone else, with family members stepping in occasionally to offer their support. Despite the hardships, Nadya prefers a humble and quiet life, staying out of the media now.
Finding a home was one step in the process, and keeping her children was the next.
Her Kids Could Be Taken Away
When the public became aware of Nadya’s situation, that she was raising fourteen children alone and was struggling financially, naturally, people became worried. People questioned how she could take care of each child without neglecting others. She couldn’t work a typical job because she had to care for so many children; therefore, she couldn’t have a steady income. That’s when Child Protective Services opened an investigation to see if she was unfit to be a mother.
Fearing her kids would be taken away, Nadya tried her best to prove she was a capable mother. Eventually, CPS closed the case, but the public wasn’t too sure it was the right move.
Her Public Persona Took Over Her Life
Nadya shared before that she never felt like the “Octomom” persona was true to who she was. But it would be a missed opportunity if she didn’t embrace it. So she lived her fifteen minutes of fame, but it came with repercussions she was not expecting. The world now saw her as this crazy, irresponsible woman only having children for attention. People assumed she was completely exploiting herself and her kids.
Nadya knew this lifestyle wasn’t sustainable. She did not want to live a life of pain and regret and decided she needed to make a move.
Nadya Knew She Needed to Make a Big Change
During the height of her fame, Nadya was working as a stripper to provide for her family but felt something was off in her life. She knew she needed to make a change but didn’t know how or when. She recalls working in a dodgy nightclub when a man passed her and had a piercing look in his eyes. He “walked straight to me and looked straight into my eyes. He took my hand and grabbed my arm, and said in a very gentle but firm way: ‘You don’t have to do this.’ He repeated it five times.”
This man sparked something in her, and what she did next would change the course of her life.
Nadya Is Now Natalie
Nadya Suleman may be the name she was born with, but after suddenly becoming infamous, her whole world changed. She was receiving so much media attention and hate that she lost herself in a whirlwind of negative emotions. After years in the public eye, she felt she needed a permanent change. She felt haunted by her past and couldn’t catch a break in the media. She knew losing her public persona was exactly what she needed.
Therefore Nadya came up with an idea; if she changed her name, she could create a new version of herself. So that’s what she did. Now she strictly goes by Natalie Suleman.
Living With Regrets
Natalie has opened up about the many mistakes she made in the past and how she is trying to grow from them. She even described herself as “foolish, immature and selfish” for implanting as many embryos as she did during her IVF treatments. Especially without being financially stable beforehand, making their lives difficult as she tried to make ends meet. Although she regrets her past behaviors and actions, she doesn’t regret having her children.
Suleman is trying to grow as a person, and certain improvements need to be made. Just wait and see if she manages to do so.
Sharing Their Story
There is no doubt that Natalie’s life is unique, and her motherhood journey is bizarre nonetheless. So she took to Dr. Oz, an American television show where a doctor shares health tips, to share her story. She thanked him for sharing her life on his platform and said, “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to share part of our story with you and your viewers! And thank you to supporters who take valuable time out of your lives to follow our journey.”
She shared some powerful words regarding the chaos that once was her life. Admitting that she feels shame for being selfish and having so many kids at once and turning to the paths she did to provide for them, so how does she live her life any differently now?
So Many Genes
Natalie used two different donors for the fertility treatments that resulted in fourteen children. The father of the first six kids never wanted his identity known so she promised to keep even his ethnicity disclosed. As for the octuplets, the donor was a half German and half Nicaraguan man. Between all of the kids, their genes manifested differently. Some of the siblings have different complexions, eye colors, hair colors, and of course, personalities.
Some of the octuplets you would hardly believe are siblings, but you’ll soon learn if they feel bonded, despite their looks.
Aidan’s Diagnosis Is Eye-Opening
The single mother shared on her Instagram profile that her son Aidan’s special needs school was closed during the coronavirus pandemic. He is fourteen but acts two years old, requiring total care. She does her best to educate her other children about autism to better understand and interact with their brother. “My daily mission (aside from distance learning at home) is to find a safe place outdoors for my kids to play ‘P.E,’ and for Aidan to roam around as we have no backyard.”
But are her children supportive of her efforts or do they have resentment towards the life their mother created for them?
Helping Each Other Through Life’s Hardships
Natalie had so many children she had no choice but to give up her social life. But she doesn’t regret it; she enjoys their time together. She says all the kids play and fight like any other family. She shares how her children are all so different with many personalities. One son, in particular, Aidan, requires a lot of attention and care due to his autism diagnosis. But the family seems to be supportive and helps look after him.
Though Aidan reportedly does share a special connection with his brother Makai, his relationship with the others is unclear.
The Only Way She Escapes the Craziness
You can imagine that carrying fourteen children takes a heavy toll on someone’s body. Natalie may have birthed healthy babies, but she didn’t escape the aftermath. She faced many injuries from her pregnancies, like ruptured discs in her back. However, she hasn’t let this stop her; she enjoys lifting weights to aid her body in getting stronger and recovering. Working out in the gym happens to be her favorite pastime anyway.
She reportedly enjoys staying fit and is dedicated to having an active lifestyle, exercising every day, and even doing so with her children.