Politics | 02/06/2009 9:05 am

Nadya Suleman, Octuplet Mother Explains to NBC: 'I Just Longed for Certain Connections'

By The Staff at wowOwow.com

Octuplet Mother Nadya Suleman

After days of seclusion, Nadya Suleman, who last week gave birth to octuplets, finally explains herself.

"That was always a dream of mine, to have a large family, a huge family, and I just longed for certain connections and attachments with another person that I really lacked, I believe, growing up," Nadya Suleman said to NBC’s Ann Curry during her first television interview.

In an interview scheduled to air on NBC’s "Today" show on Monday and on "Dateline" at 10 PM on Tuesday, the California mother, who had six children prior to last week’s birth, defends her decision to be a single mother of such a large family. Suleman, who is unemployed and living with her divorced parents in a three-bedroom home insisted, contrary to criticism, that she is a responsible parent.

"I’m providing myself to my children. I’m loving them unconditionally, accepting them unconditionally," she told Curry. "Everything I do. I’ll stop my life for them and be present with them. And hold them. And be with them. And how many parents do that? I’m sure there are many that do, but many don’t. And that’s unfortunate. That is selfish."

Just shortly after her release from the hospital on Thursday, Suleman met with Curry to talk about her upbringing, her failed marriage, health and her unemployment situation.

For seven years beginning in her teens, Nadya Suleman tried to conceive. She suffered three miscarriages. She tried artificial insemination and fertility drugs, to no avail. By 2000, a back injury and her inability to bear children had sent her into a deep depression, in which she told a psychiatrist that she had suicidal thoughts.

"And then the first IVF procedure from that facility — it was successful. And then I just kept going in."

The more cynical observer could simply chalk up Suleman’s octuplet adventure to nothing but a media ploy: She reportedly hoped to become a television personality talking about child care and parenting.

Suleman’s eight newborns babies, born January 26, will remain in the hospital for several weeks. Her six other children are aged 2 to 7. All 14 children were reportedly products of the same sperm, belonging to Suleman’s friend.

Click here for more of the interview.

133 Reader Comments (so far…) Sign In or Register to comment

i was wondering who is paying for medical care for her and her babies? medicaid maybe? hmmmmmmmmmm

By pam howell on 02/06/2009 3:48 pm

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Having even one child to fill an emotional void in one’s self is awful, much less having 14. This person is just one of those teenage girls who get pregnant because they want to have someone to love them; she just happens to be 33 instead of 13.

By Marina B. on 02/06/2009 7:38 pm

She reportedly hoped to become a television personality talking about child care and parenting. We can talk when she’s successfully raised 14 teenagers…until then she doesn’t have any expertise I’m interested in.

By Tee Zee on 02/06/2009 8:50 pm

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I wonder why she chose to work in a psychiatric facility, as that is not a very desirable place to work? That is where she became injured and collected the large settlement. She talked so dreamy, like she was detached from the reality of what lies ahead. Wait until she gets all those kids with dirty diapers, the older ones screaming, fighting etc. like kids do. She said she wanted to hold them…hardly time to hold 14 when just tending to the necessities of life with small kids will take up all her time. Thus is interesting, but on one of the plastic surgery boards it was mentioned by an expert that they thought she might have had a nose job and her lips augmented. With her, anything is possible, and bet she will milk the system to get support, both financially and with help, as it will be almost impossible to handle that many children alone. Day care has a lot of people to care for the children they are responsible for.Her house will resemble that.

By Lizzie R. on 02/07/2009 12:02 am

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My Family and I are hard working, tax payers living in California. I feel that if she receives any money from any agency, it should all go directly to all the Medical personal that has provided all the care for her and her children. I think she is very selfish and self centered. Never thinking of ways to support all 14 children. She says the sperm came from a friend??? Why not go after him to help support them. I am the Mother of 4 adults, they made me a proud Grandmother of 9 Grandkids. Now those Grandkids have made me a proud Great Grandmother of 7 Great Grandkids. And the Welfare Dept. isn’t supporting any of them. Thank you for allowing me to share my opinion on this subject.

By Martha Bingham on 02/07/2009 3:37 am

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I totally agree with you Martha , my Mom and Dad had 5, my husband and I had 5 and we now have 3 beautiful grandchildren NONE raised with state aide. It breaks my heart when I think of these children’s futures with a mother that is so wrapped up in her own needs, that the needs of her children will come last. And If ANY money that is made from this selfish act , that it go to pay the medical bills period. Congrats on your nice family Martha

By Laura King on 02/07/2009 3:06 pm

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I read this article and the comments from others. I find it sad that she wasnt given some help before she got pregnant, she already had 6 children her parents have filed for bankruptcy so what was she and the Drs thinking of. I do have to say also that Joan Cooneys comments on large families is totally out of order my mother had ten children in her life time and we were all loved very much my father was a farmer we grew all our own veggies, maybe thats what this family should think about doing then they wont be such a strain on the society these babies have been born into. All that said I do wish them well.

By Naomi Puttick on 02/07/2009 3:43 am

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How many of you who have commented are god fearing, and how many oppose abortion? You’re hippocrits. Also, a single mom is not a bad or daunting life style.Do you truely think that a man in her life would make things better? Not necessarily. One gets the impression that the commenting females have less than 14 children, surely by choice , but wasn’t it her choice to have them all? I won’t judge, my life isn’t perfect, is yours? We should all refrain from casting stones.

By Sybil Chambers on 02/07/2009 4:50 am

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I think you are missing the big picture here. She has chosen this, She cannot support those children: mentally, emotionally, or financially. This woman has the mentality of cookie! She knew from the start that she could not support the 6 she already had, yet she wanted “one” more? Selfish!!! Being responsible has nothing to do with being “God fearing” it has to do with using ones head - if you have SIX that you cannot support, you need not have anymore. There is nothing wrong with getting a helping hand from state aid or family, however, when you do something as tragic and irresponsible as this you should expect to be condemned and chastised publicly. She did this to HERSELF and now her children will suffer as well as her parents. Yes, I am pro-choice and in my opinion she didn’t make the right choice. Having said that - it was HER choice to make and now she can live with it, and I as a tax payer pay for it.

By D J on 02/07/2009 7:58 am

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Every child brought into this world deserves love, attention, support- emotional, physical, spiritual, and physcological support, all of this requires time. Will someone explain to me how mothers or parents having this amount of children are able to spend QUALITY time with each child, training them and teaching them to become contributing, loving, and good character individuals in society. The answer is simple- they can’t, therefore it is an injustice to the dear children who are victims of selfishness.

By anne wilcox on 02/07/2009 6:25 am

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As a mother of Twins (natural), I find this woman disgusting and totally IRRESPONSIBLE!!! Twins are hard enough, but to have 14 kids under the age of 7 is unfathomable. She is going to need more help then she thinks. Premature babies require a lot of care and have many long term issues, including learning disabilities and breathing issues. The NICU is not for sissies (mine were in the hospital for a total of 3 months for my daughter and 4 1/2 months for my son). Check out the March of Dimes website for statisics on multiples and their issues. Having been there, done that…I can only pray that the children will have some sembelance of a good childhood, but highly doubtful. My twins argue about who gets more attention and I just can’t imagine that times 14! And who is going to be paying for all these kids? Diapers, clothing, formula, medications, doctor visits, specialist doctor visits, strollers, cribs, housing, utilities are all costly. She will be using at least 48 diapers a day (8 babies x 6 diapers on average), 64 bottles a day (no way to even try to produce that much breast milk) not to mention the amount of clothes and bedding she will have to launder each day. The media is feeding into her need for attention. I understand that is their job, but I don’t think she should profit for her lack of judgement. California is having budget issues, and she has already been receiving disability benefits….another tangent to think of as all the babies are eligible for SSI.

By Pat Hardin on 02/07/2009 6:26 am

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I forgot to add that I am a Single MOM as well. It is hard, don’t let anyone fool you. It can be done, but it is hard especially with preemies. That becomes your life….doctor visits, worrying about the children constantly, taking care of them……you never know just how hard until you actually go through it.

By Pat Hardin on 02/07/2009 6:32 am

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I just heard the video tape concerning Nadya Suleman. The story that she told is a beautiful story of love and her relationship with her children. I believe that she and her children will do very well. She said she’d never been on welfare and never will. She is educated and will provide a decent home and family life. She has a church and believes in God and I believe that is all she needs. You can sit and plan your life, and save money, but in reality, “Life is what happens while we’re busy making other plans”. She is a beautiful woman, and I will keep her and her family in prayer and wish them the best life. Through Nadya, God will provide. Debbie O.

By debbie ornelas on 02/07/2009 6:27 am

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Great post debbie!

By HA BIBI on 02/08/2009 10:12 am

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the only thing that is regrettable is that the children are the ones who will suffer - 15 children without a job - well, I guess you know who’s going to help raise those children - taxpayers. I think she is a self-centered, irresponsible person and I think the doctor who performed this procedure is also - that clinic, or wherever she had this done, should be held responsible and be made to raise these children, but of course, I would imagine she had had this all planned in the first place - again, what an irresponsible person.

By Gayle DeWitt on 02/07/2009 7:21 am