Most people would agree that raising 14 children sounds extremely challenging and overwhelming. Natalie “Nadya” Suleman, who became known as Octomom after welcoming surviving octuplets in 2009, always dreamed of having a big family. However, she didn’t imagine that she would go on to raise 14 children. She received a lot of hate for having so many kids.
Before welcoming her octuplets, she already had six children. People accused her of burdening the public assistance system and called her a “welfare mom.”
Now, Natalie is sharing her story through a Lifetime film called I Was Octomom and a docuseries called Confessions of Octomom. During a recent interview with People, the mom of 14 admitted that she “may have possibly overachieved with kids.”
She definitely wanted a large family, but she “didn’t intend on having this many,” she told the magazine. All of Natalie’s children were conceived via IVF. The doctor who helped make this possible, Dr. Michael Kamrava, later had his medical license revoked. He implanted 12 embryos into Natalie, which CBS News reported was six times more than what was recommended for her age.
Per People, Natalie thought her doctor had implanted six embryos. During her recent interview with People, Natalie admitted that she regretted not suing her doctor. She didn’t sue him at the time because she was “grateful” for the children the doctor helped her have.
“No one else in the world did this type of procedure so I didn’t have it in my heart to sue him,” she explained to People. However, in “covering for” her doctor, she “kind of threw [herself] under the bus,” she told the publication.
Natalie is a single mom, and it was obviously hard for her to support 14 children. She now realizes that suing her doctor would’ve helped her family, she told People. “I definitely regret that because his insurance would’ve been the one paying, and it would’ve been some millions, and it would’ve been helpful for my family,” she said.
Still, Natalie described herself as a mom who is “very, very, very grateful” for her “loving family.”
