BREAKING: Octomom’s Painful Truth Laid Bare in Emotional Revelation— Nadya Suleman Shares Her Deep-Seated Regrets Over Having 14 Children, Admitting, ‘I Never Imagined How Hard 14 Kids Would Be,’ as She Grapples With the Unrelenting Demands of Single Motherhood

BREAKING: Octomom’s Painful Truth Laid Bare in Emotional Revelation—Nadya Suleman Shares Her Deep-Seated Regrets Over Having 14 Children, Admitting, ‘I Never Imagined How Hard 14 Kids Would Be,’ as She Grapples With the Unrelenting Demands of Single Motherhood

March 06, 2025 – In a raw and emotional revelation, Natalie “Nadya” Suleman, famously known as “Octomom,” has opened up about the overwhelming challenges and regrets that have defined her life as a single mother of 14 children. Speaking exclusively to PEOPLE ahead of her new Lifetime film I Was Octomom and docuseries Confessions of Octomom, set to premiere on March 8 and 10 respectively, Suleman laid bare the painful truth of a journey that catapulted her into the global spotlight 16 years ago—a journey she now admits she vastly underestimated.

Suleman, now 49, first made headlines in 2009 when she gave birth to the world’s first surviving octuplets, a medical marvel that quickly turned into a media frenzy and a lightning rod for public scrutiny. Already a single mother to six children—all conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF)—Suleman had hoped for just one more child to complete her family. Instead, her fertility doctor, Dr. Michael Kamrava, implanted 12 embryos, leading to the birth of eight babies: Noah, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Jonah, Josiah, Makai, Maliyah, and Nariyah. The decision, coupled with her existing struggles as a cash-strapped single parent, sparked outrage and controversy, branding her as “Octomom” and thrusting her into a life of infamy.

“I never imagined how hard 14 kids would be,” Suleman confessed in the candid interview, her voice tinged with the weight of hindsight. “I wanted a big family because I was lonely growing up as an only child, but this—this was beyond anything I could have foreseen.” What began as a personal dream to create a “safe and predictable little world” for herself and her children spiraled into a relentless battle against financial hardship, public condemnation, and the sheer physical and emotional toll of raising 14 kids alone.

A Regret That Haunts Her

Among the many revelations, Suleman shared a deep-seated regret that continues to gnaw at her: not suing Dr. Kamrava, the fertility specialist whose actions altered the course of her life. “I should have sued my fertility doctor,” she admitted. “His insurance would’ve paid millions, and it would’ve helped my family.” Kamrava, who lost his medical license following an investigation by the Medical Board of California for implanting far more embryos than standard practice allowed, initially told Suleman he had implanted only six. The truth—that he had used 12—emerged later, leaving Suleman grappling with the consequences.

“I regret that I kind of threw myself under the bus to cover for him,” she said, reflecting on her decision to shield Kamrava out of gratitude for his “innovative technique.” Without it, she noted, none of her children would exist. Yet, the financial stability a lawsuit could have provided remains a bitter “what if” for a woman who has spent years in survival mode, scraping by to provide for her sprawling family.

Suleman did take legal action against Kaiser Permanente Hospital in Bellflower, California, where she gave birth, after employees breached HIPAA by leaking her medical information to the press—a violation that landed the hospital a $250,000 fine. “They’re the reason I ended up in the public eye,” she said, pointing to the breach as the catalyst for her unwanted fame.

The Unrelenting Demands of Single Motherhood

Raising 14 children—ranging in age from 16 to 23—has been a Herculean task, one Suleman has shouldered without a partner. Living in a three-bedroom townhouse in Orange County, California, with her brood and their cats, Penelope and Mimi, she describes a household run with “military precision.” Her days are consumed with cooking vegan meals alongside her kids, managing chores, and caring for her son Aidan, who is severely autistic and requires constant support. Add to that her own physical struggles—chronic back pain, ruptured discs, and peripheral neuropathy from the octuplet pregnancy—and the unrelenting demands become painfully clear.

“In the beginning, it was complete pandemonium,” she recalled. Death threats poured in, forcing her to fear for her family’s safety, while tabloids and critics painted her as a caricature of irresponsibility. To survive, Suleman made choices she now views with shame, including stints in adult films and exotic dancing. “I had to sacrifice my integrity repeatedly to provide for my family,” she told PEOPLE. It wasn’t until her octuplets were about 4 years old that she managed to escape the “dark and destructive path” and retreat from the spotlight in 2013.

A Family Forged in Resilience

Despite the hardships, Suleman insists she doesn’t regret her children themselves—only the circumstances that shaped their upbringing. “I wouldn’t have any of my kids if it weren’t for [Kamrava’s] technique,” she said, her gratitude tempered by the chaos it unleashed. Today, her family is a testament to resilience, with her children described as “happy, healthy, and well-mannered” by those who’ve seen them up close. Her octuplets, now 16, are stepping into the spotlight alongside her for the Lifetime projects, eager to reclaim their narrative.

“Our mom would finally be able to say her side of the story,” said Nariyah, one of the octuplets, in a rare public statement. “I feel like it was very unfair how she was terrorized and hated for just being a mother.” Suleman’s older children, including Elijah (23), Amerah (22), Joshua (21), Aidan (19), and twins Caleb and Calyssa (18), have largely opted for privacy, but the family remains tight-knit, grounded by faith, fitness, and a shared vegan lifestyle.

Looking Back, Moving Forward

As Suleman prepares to share her story through Lifetime’s dramatized biopic and docuseries, she’s focused on shedding the “Octomom” caricature that has long defined her. “I’m not this compartmentalized caricature—I’m a mom,” she asserted. Her goal is to inspire others, particularly women struggling with parenthood, to find strength within themselves. “If I can keep progressing forward, so can they,” she said.

Yet, the painful truth remains: the dream of a big family came at a cost she never anticipated. From the physical scars of her high-risk pregnancy to the emotional wounds of public scorn, Suleman’s journey is a stark reminder of the unrelenting demands of single motherhood on such an extraordinary scale. “I may have overachieved with kids,” she said with a wry laugh, a fleeting moment of levity in a story marked by struggle and survival.

As the world tunes in to I Was Octomom and Confessions of Octomom this weekend, Suleman hopes viewers will see beyond the headlines to the woman—and the family—behind them. For Nadya Suleman, the painful truth is finally hers to tell, regrets and all.