Catch Up With Octomom Natalie Suleman And See What Her Octuplets Look Like Today
Octomom, a.k.a., Nadya Suleman, burst onto the scene in January 2009 when she gave birth to not twins, not triplets, but octuplets. Having eight kids was record-breaking and caught the media's attention, but it also caught the attention of many critics.
Everything from her parenting style to the methods her doctor used to get her pregnant opened her up to criticism. It's been over a decade since the world met Octomom and a lot of highs and lows have happened for her since that time. Read on to see what Octomom and her extra-large family is up to today.
An Innocent Wish
Nadya was born an only child to an immigrant family. Her father, an Iraq war army veteran and restaurant owner, and mother, a teacher, both spoiled her. Even so, Nadya still craved attention from something else: a sibling.
This experience growing up made her hope and dream to one day have a big family. Little did she know as a child that the wish would come true... in a major way.
Motherhood Was Top Priority
Many women today focus on attending school and establishing a career before even thinking about motherhood first, but that wasn't the case for Nadya. She had planned to go to college but she realized quickly that her desire to be a mother was much stronger than getting an education.
Nadya instead chose to experience life in the hopes of finding someone who shared a desire for a family like she did.
First Shot At Love And Family
Nadya met and married a grocery store produce manager named Marcos Gutierrez in her early 20s and thought it was love. The two fell deeply in love and it even seemed like Gutierrez shared a desire for a family just like Nadya.
Everything was working out just as Nadya had dreamt when she was a little girl. She didn't know it at the time, but the two would sadly never start that family.
A New, And Dangerous, Job
While planning for the start of her family, Nadya began working as a psychiatric technician at the Metropolitan State Hospital in Norwalk, California. The job was her passion, but working with mentally unstable patients can always be dangerous.
Work was stressful for Nadya, but she never could have guessed that it would lead to a life-changing incident. In fact, there were many things about her future that would be a big surprise.
A Life-Changing Disaster
September 18, 1999, was a day that would change Nadya's life. It started ordinarily enough, with Nadya going to work as usual. However, on that day, twenty psychiatric patients began a riot and Nadya was right in the middle of it all.
During the riot, a patient flipped over a desk and it landed on Nadya's back. She ended up with a herniated disk and a $170,000 workers compensation settlement.
Trying And Failing To Have Kids
The injury from her work put Nadya into a lot of stress and pain. Still, she and her husband continued to try to have kids. For more than three years the two tried to conceive with no luck.
They also had to do this all while living off the workers' compensation settlement and Marcos' small salary. This was obviously an incredibly stressful time for Nadya but she was not deterred from her dream of motherhood.
Depression Hits
Nadya and Marco eventually went to a doctor to see if Nadya had any biological issues that were preventing her from conceiving, but the doctor found nothing wrong. The couple had tried every trick in the book to conceive, but nothing was working for them.
The constant failure eventually sent Nadya into a deep depression that made her start to explore more drastic options to become pregnant and start the family she longed for.
The Truth Comes Out
The more Nadya pressed the issue, the more her husband pressed back. Eventually, the two went back to the doctor and learned the truth: nothing was wrong with Nadya. Instead, it was actually Marcos who was sterile.
This news was devastating for the couple who wanted a family so bad. It also reconfirmed to Nadya that she'd have to try more unconventional methods to achieve her dream. Her determination was as strong as ever.
Desperate Times Call For Desperate Measures
Now that they knew they would never conceive naturally, Nadya began to press Marcos to consider other methods. Marcos continued to push back, but when Nadya suggested doing in vitro fertilization (IVF), it was the last straw.
Marcos said that if she went through with IVF, he would leave her. This was the moment of truth for Nadya. Would she stay with Marcos or would she go ahead with the IVF?
The Hardest Decision Of Her Life
Nadya now had to decide if having kids was worth more than her marriage. It wasn't an easy decision, but eventually, Nadya decided that starting a family was more important to her than keeping the marriage going.
So she ended her relationship with Marcos in 2000 and set out on her journey to become a mom. Of course, we all know that even the best-laid plans don't always work out.
The Pros And Cons Of IVF
In vitro fertilization was still very controversial in 2000. It involves having the egg and sperm fertilize outside of a body, usually in a test tube, then reintroduced to a body.
IVF doesn't always have a 100% success rate, which is why they will usually include several eggs in case something goes wrong with one. For Nadya, this was not a concern. Her attitude toward children was "the more the merrier."
Success! Welcome Baby Elijah
Despite the risks and the extremely high price tag that comes along with IVF, Nadya decided to go through with the procedure. Even though there was the potential for twins or triplets, she ended up having a successful single birth.
Nadya welcomed her first child Elijah in 2001 and her dream had, at long last, become a reality! She finally knew the joy of motherhood and she loved every moment of it.
One Wasn't Enough
After the success of her first IVF, Nadya already knew that she wanted more children. She underwent another IVF procedure that was also successful. Her second child, a daughter Amerah, was born in 2002.
Nadya was so ecstatic that she had three more successful IVF pregnancies that resulted in a set of fraternal twins, and two other children. The total was now up to six and she couldn't be happier.
Is Six The Limit?
For many people, six kids are more than enough kids to keep them happy and busy, but not for Nadya. Nadya was now a single mom raising six children all on her own. There's no doubt that money and time were both sparse commodities.
Even so, she still wanted more kids and would even enlist the help of a controversial doctor to do so. Many wondered if she'd ever be satisfied and stop in her quest for more children.
A Baffling Decision
Nadya realized that from her original IVF treatments, she still had six frozen eggs left over. She refused to let those eggs be destroyed, and wanted her doctor to implant all six eggs at once for an INF pregnancy.
Her doctor, Dr. Michael Kamrava, says he was hesitant at first, but that Nadya insisted it happen. The fact that she already had several children wasn't enough to dissuade her from doing this.
What Kind Of Doctor Would Allow This?
The choice to have six eggs fertilized at once is baffling to many, but her doctor went even further by implanting twelve eggs total. That's ten more than the recommended maximum, which is only two eggs.
Dr. Kamrava was already controversial within his field and was later expelled from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine for this decision. The Medical Board of California also revoked his license "to protect the public."
A Shocking Success
The crazy and dangerous IVF procedure was a success and resulted in eight eggs being successfully fertilized. Eight children at once is an overwhelming thought to many of us, but for Nadya, she was over-the-moon.
The only question that remained was whether her body would even be able to handle the pregnancy. It's difficult to overemphasize how much of a stress on the body it would be to carry eight babies to term.
Here Comes The Media
Being pregnant with eight kids at once while taking care of six children would be hard enough on a person, but now Nadya had to deal with the media. Her story quickly caught the attention of tabloids and news outlets around the world.
They dubbed her "Octomom" and Nadya was officially in the international limelight. People wanted to know everything about this woman whose unusual pregnancy was so shocking to many.
Who Is The Father?
Thanks to her new celebrity status, all of America and the rest of the world was wondering who the father was. Nadya's mother claimed that all the sperm came from a single donor named David Soloman, who Nadya once dated.
Another man, Denis Beaudoin, claimed to be the biological father, but Nadya claimed otherwise. To the disappointment of many, no tests have ever been done to find out who the true father is.
A Record-Breaking Pregnancy
People questioned whether Nadya's body could birth eight children successfully, but it was a surprising success. In 2009, Makai, Josiah, Isaiah, Jonah, Maliyah, Jeremiah, Nariyah, and Noah were born. All eight children were born safely, which made Nadya the first woman to ever give birth to eight children alive at once.
The happiness didn't last long though. Now that Nadya was in the public eye, she had some negative attention coming her way.
Here Come The Critics
After the birth, people began to learn more about Nadya's story and began to judge her for it. Why would a single mom think she can handle 14 children? Why did the doctor let her go through with the procedure? Did she want to be in the spotlight all along? Why was she wasting tax-payers money for these kids?
All of this personal criticism was overwhelming for the new Octomom.
Using The Media To Her Advantage
Now that she was in the spotlight, Nadya knew she'd need to use the attention to her advantage or it would engulf her. She hired a public relations team to try and control the narrative around her.
Unfortunately, it proved harder than she expected. Her public relations team had to put a spin on Nadya's story. It was extremely difficult for her to balance her private life and public persona.
Time To Take The Honest Approach
Her attempt to control the narrative failed, and Nadya soon figured that her best bet would be opening up completely to the public. After all, this approach has worked for many people in the public eye.
So she decided to do a very personal interview with People magazine. She told People how even if it seems like she's embracing the public life, she's first and foremost a mom with the same struggles as anyone else.
A New Low Point
The depression from early in her life was nothing in comparison to her low point after her unusual pregnancy had catapulted her into the public eye. As she struggled to raise her fourteen kids, Nadya had no choice but to accept welfare.
That choice was controversial though, because it supported the rumor that she did all this just to be in the spotlight and couldn't handle the reality of it.
Law Enforcement Now Involved
Octomom's dramatic public persona meant that her critics even began to spread rumors about her. Some people were legitimately worried that raising fourteen kids meant that she would inevitably neglect her children.
California's Child Protective Services were even alerted and investigated her home. Thankfully for her, they found no issue with Nadya's parenting or anything deemed to be unsafe during a check of her household. This was certainly not the end of her problems, though.
A New Living Situation
In 2012, Nadya filed for personal bankruptcy. She alleged that she had $50,000 in assets but more than $1 million in debt. This, coupled with raising her kids, led her to a 28-day stint in rehab.
She ended rehab in October 2012 for anxiety, exhaustion, stress, and an addiction to Xanax that her doctor had prescribed. During her time in the facility, her children were left in the care of nannies.
Turning Her Life Around
Her time in rehab made a big impression on Nadya. After leaving the program, she decided to change her life drastically. She turned away from the limelight and went back to school. She finished her college degree and got a job as a family therapist.
She also changed her name to Natalie to separate herself even further from her past life as Nadya, the Octomom. Things were finally beginning to look up for her.
Her Guardian Angel
What caused Natalie to change her entire lifestyle? She says it was a guardian angel. Natalie said that in February 2013, she was working on a film in Florida when a tall man walked up to her and said, "You don't have to do this."
Apparently, it was the final push she needed to become her "healthy self again." In an interview with The Fix, she later said "I'd rather be homeless with 14 kids living in my van than allow any of my girls, my daughters to go down the path I had gone down."
The Kids Today
As for an update on the children today, all fourteen of them are happy and healthy. Natalie has always been open and honest with her kids about her journey to be a mother, and she said they don't judge her.
Her oldest, Elijah, is now 17 and the octuplets are now nine-years-old. All are on strictly vegan diets, and love going to school. It's interesting to note how different they all look!
Living A Quiet And Modest Life
Her life is much different than those early days. The family lives in a modest house in Laguna Beach, which is right near where Natalie grew up.
She still gets by living paycheck to paycheck and using food stamps, but that doesn't stop her family from being happy and getting by with what they have. Having control over her life is a blessing for Natali, and her gratitude carries her through the tough times.
How Did Fame Change The Kids?
Natalie insists that the reason her family does so well today is that she's always been honest with her kids. She admitted that she was "young and foolish" and that was was "forced into doing things I didn't want to do because I was so terrified I couldn't support them."
She also said that at the peak of her fame, she "felt less than human as that character I was pretending to be, to survive and provide for my family."
A Normal Day In The Household
Natalie says even though they might seem exceptional, their family is just like any other. The kids "fight, play, fight, and play again." Many of her kids are strong and outgoing.
Her one son, Aiden, is autistic, but that challenge brings the family even closer. Natalie says Aiden is particularly close with brother Makai but they all look out for Aiden (and for each other). They're just one big, happy family.
Goodbye Social Life, Hello Social Media
Natalie gave up the fame and media for her kids, but that doesn't mean she had to give everything up. She runs an Instagram account and YouTube channel that shows an insider's look at life and all of her everyday adventures with her family.
It's her way of connecting with other moms and showing that her family struggles are just like anyone else's, even though her situation might seem so different at a glance.
Sharing Her Life With The World
Now that she's active on social media, we get a glimpse into Natalie's daily life. She recently shared this pic of her kids on the first day back to school.
Natalie captioned this one, "Any other parents exceptionally stressed and overwhelmed the first week back to school? I must admit six (yes I said six!) drop offs and pick ups monopolize most of my day, as I am an official bus driver (but wouldn't have it any other way lol)."
A Healthy Lifestyle Works For Her
On Instagram, Natalie says that the family follows a vegan lifestyle. She also uses exercise to deal with the stresses that come with raising a large family.
The treadmill is a favorite way to blow off steam. With this pic, she shared: "The stress literally drips off of me, as I'm drenched in the end. Being physical has significantly helped me cope with so many challenges I’ve struggled with throughout my life."
A Family Of Actors
Check out this sweet photo of the Suleman children all acting together in a school play! Now, that's a great and creative activity to do as a family!
It's not quite obvious what play they're performing in, but we see that there's a doctor character, a cowboy, and a Native American. We'd love to see this performance and hear how the kids felt about being the stars of the show.
Yummy And Healthy: Vegan Taco Night!
Like almost every mom out there, Natalie is always looking for fun dinner options for the kids and sharing her finds with others. Here's one she shared with her Instagram followers.
"One of our favorite family fun night meals...VeganTacos," she wrote, adding that they were made of a mixture of organic beans, chopped spinach, peppers, and paired with "lots of water." Of course! There's clearly no soda in this household.
As The Kids Prepare To Turn 10, Natalie Gives Rare Interview
In December 2018, a month before the octuplets turned 10, Natalie sat down for a rare and candid interview with The New York Times. She revealed that the reason for the interview was that she is writing and promoting a book about her life.
"That's why I want to do this interview," she told the Times. “I’ve been writing this manuscript since graduate school.” She also opened up about the extensive pain that her unique pregnancy left her in, even today.
She's In Constant Pain
In her New York Times interview, Nadya shared details about her chronic pain. "My back is broken because of the last pregnancy," she said. “I have irreparable sacral damage. And I have peripheral neuropathy."
To make matters even worse, Nadya said, "I haven't felt my toes on my foot on the right side for many years, and my fingers are numb all the time every day. The pregnancy caused it.”
It's Important To Natalie That She Remain Honest With Her Children
Natalie has faced quite a few rough spots in her life, including substance abuse and the release of an intimate video called Octomom Home Alone, but she's always insisted on being up-front about this with her kids.
She said, "We talk about everything. They know, they went through it with me. It's a huge weight lifted off of all of them when I went back to who I was."
She Doesn't Date
Today, Natalie remains focused on raising her family and doesn't date at all. And she also doesn't have any contact with the men who fathered her beloved kids.
She did say that it's possible the octuplets will meet their father when they're old enough, telling the Times "maybe the kids will meet him at 18. I don't know." She has still not announced publicly who he is, and likely never will.
Natalie Now Works As A Counselor
Although she admits that she relies on government assistance and "international photo shoots" to make ends meet, Natalie told The New York Times that she also works as a counselor these days.
She also reiterated in the interview that she "never wanted the attention" that came along with her unusual and record-breaking pregnancy and birth. She is happy to have those dark days of being known as "Octomom" left behind.
