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How Octomom Nadya Suleman & Her 14 Kids Are Taking Their Lives Back
Octomom is peeling backmost the curtain connected her children’s paternity.
Natalie "Nadya" Suleman—who earned the “Octomom” moniker aft giving commencement to the archetypal surviving set of octuplets successful 2009—is confirming details astir the paternity of her children, including her six older children, for the archetypal time.
Firstly, no, she did not person immoderate children with her ex-husband Marcos Gutierrez, to whom she was married betwixt 2000 and 2006.
"I got joined lone to appease my Middle Eastern family," Suleman explained successful her caller docuseries Confessions of Octomom, per Today. "We ne'er consummated the marriage. That was not a existent marriage. It's not adjacent worthy speaking about."
But portion Suleman did not privation to person children with Gutierrez, she was determined to go a mother. Her ex-boyfriend Denis Beaudoin became her archetypal sperm donor, nevertheless aft 10 failed rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI) and a breakup, Suleman turned her sights elsewhere.
"At that constituent successful time,” she said connected the series, “I took that arsenic a motion that possibly helium wasn't the close one.”
Suleman past approached a friend—one she described arsenic “highly intelligent, tall, bully looking, athletic” and “very mature”—if helium would see the possibility.
"I asked him, 'Hypothetically speaking, if a person of yours asked you to assistance them if they wanted to person a kid ... would you see helping and donating to a friend?'” she recalled. “He was stunned. And past helium agreed to bash it."
The 49-year-old went connected to item however the man—whose individuality she ne'er reveals—ultimately donated sperm for her six eldest children: Elijah, 23, Amerah, 22, Joshua, 21, and Aidan, 19, and 18-year-old twins Caleb and Calyssa.
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
While Suleman said helium donated easy for her archetypal 4 pregnancies, she “to truly beg him to bash it again” for her 5th pregnancy, which resulted successful her twins. It was aft this gestation she claims the donor refused to lend further.
“I was determined—I was vehemently determined—to person a seventh,” she explained. “One more. And I would bash it nary substance what.”
Suleman yet purchased 1 vial of sperm from a slope successful California that resulted successful her octuplet pregnancy, aft which she gave commencement to present 16-year-olds Noah, Maliyah, Isaiah, Nariyah, Makai, Josiah, Jeremiah and Jonah.
While the octuplets were conceived by an anonymous donor—meaning they could not find retired their father’s identity, adjacent if they wanted to—Suleman’s oldest children cognize their father’s identity.
Gilbert Carrasquillo/Getty Images
After her oldest girl Amerah discovered her begetter connected Facebook astatine property 12, Suleman said she could interaction him erstwhile she turned 18.
"But aft then, I ne'er felt the request to," the present 22-year-old explained successful the series. "He's a stranger. I understood wherefore helium didn't consciousness the request to beryllium successful our lives aft the 8 came, and that's it."
And connected knowing the individuality of her father, octuplet subordinate Maliyah said, “I judge I've ne'er needed different genitor fig successful my beingness due to the fact that Mom is much than capable for that.”
For much connected the household of 14’s life, support reading.
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Making Memories
Natalie "Nadya" Suleman celebrated her archetypal grandchild turning six months aged with immoderate saccharine photos.
"I can’t judge our small angel is already 6 months old!" she wrote connected Instagram successful March 2025 alongside pictures of the small one, who is the girl of her lad Joshua. "You person been 1 of the top blessings successful each of our lives. Your beautiful, saccharine grin fills my bosom immeasurably. I emotion you much than words could express. We are each truthful grateful to ticker you turn and thrive each azygous day!"
Borrowing the words from the children's publication Love You Forever, Natalie added, "I’ll emotion you forever. I’ll similar you for ever As agelong arsenic I’m surviving My grand-baby you’ll be."
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Happy Thanksgiving
Natalie thanked her children Noah, Nariyah, Jonah, and Isaiah for their "hard enactment and dedication successful the kitchen" for Thanksgiving 2024.
"Your steadfast works based, full food, nutrient dense creations are compassionate and delicious!" she wrote connected Instagram astatine the time. "We are each grateful and blessed."
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Halloween Fun
The ma of 14 marked Halloween 2024 by sharing a throwback photograph of her and immoderate of her kids dressed up successful their costumes successful 2015.
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Becoming a Grandma
In September 2024, Natalie announced that she'd go a grandma.
"Thank you God for blessing my lad Joshua and beauteous girl successful instrumentality with this beauteous gift!" she wrote connected Instagram. "We are truthful grateful she is simply a caller summation to our family! Baby miss you are truthful precise loved and we can’t hold to ticker you grow!! 8/30/24."
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Surrounded by Love
While her kids smiled for the camera, Mom snuck successful a privation connected her 49th day successful July 2024.
"Thank you kids for making my day yesterday truthful special!" she wrote connected Instagram. "I emotion you all."
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Compliments to the Chefs
Jonah, Nariyah, Noah and Jeremiah were successful complaint of the family's vegan feast connected Native American Heritage Day successful 2023.
"Happy belated Thanksgiving and Happy Native American Heritage Day!" Natalie wrote connected Instagram successful November 2023. "Thank you to the caput chefs Jonah, Nariyah, Noah, and Jeremiah, who worked relentlessly cooking delicious meals for the family. You are loved and appreciated, and deserved those 2 overflowing plates of your creations! Hope each our benignant supporters had a harmless and blessed peculiar clip with loved ones!"
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Girls Night Out
Mom took Amerah and Calyssa out for ramen (vegan, of course) successful August 2023.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Birthday Bliss
In lieu of 48 candles, the kids brought balloons for their mom's day successful July 2023.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Young Queen
Natalie's eldest girl Amerah celebrated her 21st day successful July 2023.
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Dynamic Duo
The 2 enjoyed a parent girl movie nighttime successful July 2023.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
We've Got Each Other
Natalie marked twins Caleb and Calyssa's saccharine 16 with this adorable throwback pic.
"Happy saccharine 16th day to my, (couldn’t beryllium much polar opposite), twins Caleb and Calyssa!" she wrote connected Instagram successful October 2022. "Calyssa, you person grown into a kind, loving, compassionate (towards each surviving things), intelligent, beauteous young lady. Words cannot picture however arrogant I americium to telephone you my daughter. You are a talented writer and artist, and volition execute immoderate extremity you acceptable for yourself, arsenic agelong arsenic you ne'er springiness up. I respect your intelligence strength, determination, and perseverance, and americium blessed to beryllium your mom. Caleb, you person grown into a loving, caring, highly intelligent, comedic, speedy witted, perceptive, and devoted young man. I americium blessed to person you arsenic a son. May God proceed to bless you some abundantly. I emotion you."
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
First Day of School
In August 2022, Natalie celebrated her octuplets starting eighth grade.
"Be arrogant of yourselves kids for being kind, respectful, and adjuvant to each your chap peers, teachers and staff," she wrote connected Instagram alongside their archetypal time of schoolhouse photo. "You are exceptional relation models to the 6th and 7th graders. I emotion you."
And to immoderate "critics" wondering astir wherefore her older kids weren't successful the snap, Natalie made it wide "their older siblings did not privation maine to station a representation connected their archetypal day. I respect their choice, truthful should you."
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Beloved Cats
The household loves their fur babies too.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Look What I Made
Showing disconnected a feline and crafts connected the couch.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Twinning!
Maliyah and Nariyah were a coordinated sister act.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Fur Baby Bonding
The Sulemans are a feline family, truthful Maliyah took the accidental to bash immoderate dog-sitting.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Man of the House
Natalie snuck a uncommon caller pic of eldest lad Elijah onto her provender successful grant of his 21st birthday successful 2022.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Every Day is Mother's Day
Mother's Day is ne'er lonely for Natalie, present celebrating with her octuplets and their large sister Amerah successful 2022.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
12th Birthday
"Happy 12th day to 8 of the astir kind, caring, and respectful kids I person ever known," Natalie wrote to her octuplets connected Instagram successful January 2021. "Your compassion for each surviving things and the worth of humbly serving others is the explanation of love. You marque my bosom full, and person blessed our lives abundantly. I americium honored to beryllium your mother."
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Brotherly Love
Noah and Jonah got acceptable to excavation in.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
14 and Counting
The Suleman octuplets enjoyed baked goods connected their 14th birthday.
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Throwback Photos
Joshua, sporting the impermanent look tat, and large member Eli were astir to instrumentality formation successful this throwback pic their ma shared.
Instagram / Natalie Suleman
Loving Siblings
In this throwback photo, Natalie reflected connected however "Makai has ever been Aidan’s guardian angel, looking retired for him from time one."
Natalie Suleman/Instagram
Santa's Helpers
Getting 8 children to enactment up and grin for a pic sounds similar a Christmas occurrence to us.
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