Nadya “Natalie” Suleman was thrust into the public spotlight after giving birth to octuplets, being dubbed “Octomom.” The story caused widespread public interest and attention. Nadya’s son Elijah was born first in May 2001, and daughter Amerah came next in July 2002. Joshua was born in 2003, and son Aiden followed in 2005. Nadya then had twins Calyssa and Caleb in 2006.

Dr. Michael Kamrava implanted Nadya with eight embryos in 2008. This caused controversy, since the recommendation for women is two at a time. This caused Nadya to give birth to the only surviving set of octuplets in history the following year. In 2009, Nadya welcomed Noah, Maliyah, Isaiah, Nariyah, Jonah, Makai, Josiah and Jeremiah. Now, Nadya is coming to reality television by telling her story and her octuplets are revealing their identities in a new docuseries on Lifetime.

Nadya Comes Out Of Hiding And Tells Her Story In New Lifetime Docuseries

Nadya “Natalie” Suleman has brought her story to the Lifetime network in the docuseries Confessions of Octomom. The series explores the journey of Nadya and her 14 children. The series marks the first time the public has heard from Nadya in a long time. After being the source of public interest and scrutiny, the Octomom has spent many years away from the spotlight. In the series, Nadya proclaims, “This is our story. The real one.”

The docuseries will span six episodes and begins with Nadya giving birth to her octuplets in January 2009. The series will then take viewers through her life until we get to the present. Not only will it explore her relationship with her 14 children, but it will show her new role as grandmother. This came after one of Nadya’s ten sons welcomed a baby in September 2024.

“With her octuplets turning sixteen this January and her other six children ranging from 17 to 23 years-old, Suleman has been out of the public eye for years and now, for the first time, Suleman and her 14 children reveal a much different life than the world has ever been privy to before,” the network’s description of the show reads. “The series also follows the octuplets through their challenges and triumphs, growing up in the spotlight and their desire to move beyond their now secluded life.”

“I’ve been waiting a very very long time to tell my true story, and I believe the world is ready to hear it,” Nadya is heard saying in the trailer. Nadya might be her real first name, but she has said that she now wants to be called Natalie. In the show’s production materials, the latter name is what she is called. In one scene from the trailer, Nadya is seen covering up her face before going out. A producer is heard asking her, “Explain to me again why you cover up?” Nadya answered, “It helps with my social anxiety,” explaining later, “It doesn’t draw any attention because people don’t look and stare.”

“I always wanted to be a mom. I wanted a big family,” Nadya told viewers in a confessional. “I set my mind to achieving a goal. You know, I achieved that goal. I think I may have overachieved.” To achieve her goal, Nadya used a sperm donor and had her embryos implanted in order to have six kids. This was followed by her giving birth to octuplets.

Nadya’s Octuplets Reveal Their Identities For The First Time In The Docuseries

While most people remember them as babies, Nadya’s kids are now teenagers and adults. Their stories are told in this new series from their perspective. “My mom did everything in her power to protect her kids,” one of Nadya’s daughters said in the series. “The main reason we’re doing all this is to get the truth out there,” one of her adult sons told viewers in a confessional.

One of the older siblings of the octuplets was seen telling several of them, “I know you guys all have each other right now, but you guys are going to have your own lives.” The eight youngest siblings are also seen without their protective hats and face masks for the first time. In the series, they smile and proudly reveal their identities.

Another person whose identity is revealed in this series is that of the sperm donor Nadya used to conceive her children. In the series, he speaks out for the first time, letting viewers know his perspective. “The topic of my biological father has come up,” one of Nadya’s daughters said in the trailer. Noah said of his biological dad, “He’s a donor so we can’t meet him. He’s anonymous.” Then, we see a man come into the frame and sit on a couch, shot only from the waist down. “I was the sperm donor,” the man revealed.

However, even though Nadya was at the center of the public spotlight, she was struggling financially. In the series, Nadya admits to these struggles and talks about how difficult it was to support all of her children.

“I had just given birth to eight [children]. I could not financially afford them. I was struggling. I was really desperate to make any money,” Nadya revealed in a confessional.

Gossip blogger Perez Hilton also appears in the docuseries. In the trailer, he said, “She had been getting these offers to do adult films and finally said yes.” Dr. Drew Pinky appears as well, explaining to the producers, “It was this vine where fame itself had the greatest potential to get some income for her kids.”

Nadya even began stripping in 2012, and released a sex tape before posing for nude photos the following year. “When someone comes up to you at school and asks you if your mom is a stripper, you don’t know what to say,” one of her sons said.

Nadya Said She Was Forced To Do An Interview After Giving Birth To Octuplets

Natalie has opened up about how traumatic it was to be at the center of public attention after giving birth to her octuplets. She recently chatted with Today.com and alleged the hospital where she gave birth held a press conference without her approval. According to the Octomom, this contributed to the unwanted media attention that followed.

“I thought for a while I wouldn’t be able to survive it,” Nadya said about that chaotic period of her life, adding, “I didn’t allow myself to process any emotion or feelings. I just was, you know, on autopilot.”

Nadya also said that she felt pressured into speaking to the media, to the point where she hired a PR manager. She said the hospital made her feel pressured to give an interview immediately after giving birth. However, Nadya said that she did not want to do such a thing.

“In retrospect, I would have refused. I didn’t even know I had that right as a patient to refuse. I wish I had some legal assistance at that time,” she told the outlet.

Nadya said she was unemployed when she became pregnant with the octuplets. During the discussion, Nadya said that she believes she wouldn’t have been under such intense scrutiny had she been in a relationship at the time. “If I were in a relationship and were married, it would have acted as a buffer to being a target of that hate, of that downward social comparison,” Nadya said.

In addition to the Lifetime docuseries, the network will also be premiering a movie based on her life titled I Was Octomom. “I attempted for 16 years to share, here and there, my truth, but I’ve never had an opportunity to share the full story, the true story,” Nadya revealed.

Nadya also spoke to People recently, where she claimed that there were constant “false narratives” about her in the press after giving birth. One of the most common false narratives was that she used welfare and government money to have more children. “That was a lie,” Nadya told the outlet. “I did not use taxpayers’ money.”

“I’d saved so much money working as a psychiatric technician at a state psych hospital. I saved well over a hundred thousand dollars. I used all of that money,” she continued. “Instead of buying a house I bought in vitros. I also had an inheritance close to $60,000 that paid for it too, which I’m not proud of. It should have gone for my older kids. I also got student loans, but I paid for everything, period. For years I was typecast as the welfare recipient, unemployed mother, all of which is wrong.”