‘Octomum’ Natalie Suleman has lifted the lid on her yearslong money struggles, while revealing that she is currently living in a three-bedroom Orange County apartment with 11 of her 14 children, having spent years battling to make ends meet.
Suleman, 49, from Fullerton, CA, made history in 2009 when she gave birth to the world’s first surviving octuplets, who were conceived through in vitro fertilisation. However, her moment in the spotlight quickly became shrouded in controversy amid growing outrage over her parenting skills and financial woes, Realtor.com reports.
At the time, the mother of 14 — whose Lifetime biopic “I Was Octomum” and accompanying docuseries “Confessions of Octomum” hit screens on March 8 and 10, respectively — was accused of receiving and using government assistance to conceive her children, sparking fierce scrutiny.
Now, after remaining out of the spotlight for 12 years, Suleman, who previously went by the name Nadya Suleman, has broken her silence to hit out at the “lies” that she says have been spread about her, while laying bare the truth about her current living situation in a wide-ranging interview with People magazine.
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Octomum Natalie Suleman is living in a three-bedroom apartment with 11 of her 14 children. Picture: Supplied
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The proud mum — whose three eldest children have moved out of the family home — revealed she and her 11 kids are currently residing in a rented three-bedroom townhouse, having secured the property at a 50 per cent discount from “good Christian people” in their community who wanted to lend a helping hand.
They “offered us to live here [at] half the rent just because they’re good Christian people. People at church have made a positive difference,” she revealed. The family currently receives “support” from various members of their community.
However, while Suleman is open about her experience with financial hardship, she vehemently denied all claims that she relied on taxpayers’ money to fund the birth and care of her octuplets, as well as their six siblings.
“That was a lie. I did not use taxpayers’ money,” she said. “I’d saved so much money working as a psychiatric technician at a state psych hospital. I saved well over $100,000 (AUD $159,000).”
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The mum of 14 has now opened up about her financial struggles in a new interview with People magazine, which features her octuplets. Picture: Supplied
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According to Suleman, she made the decision to invest all of her savings into IVF rather than buying a house, including $60,000 (AUD $195,000) that she had inherited.
“I used all of that money. Instead of buying a house, I bought in vitros,” she admitted. “I also had an inheritance close to $60,000 (AUD $195,000) 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.”
Suleman’s current living situation, though cramped, seems to be one of the most secure she has enjoyed over the past 15 years, having been forced to move out of her former four-bedroom, three-bathroom home in La Habra, CA, in 2012, when it went into foreclosure.
Months later, she moved into a 5,000-square-foot pad in Palmdale, CA, which she rented with the paycheck she received from her adult film work. According to TMZ, she paid $2,150 (AUD $3417) a month for the five-bedroom, three-bath house through March 2013.
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Natalie Suleman has revealed she and 11 of her 14 kids live in a three-bedroom apartment as she candidly opens up about the lengths she went to to manage her financial woes.
After moving out of that property, Suleman is understood to have headed to Orange County, where she is now living in her townhome apartment thanks to the kindness of a fellow churchgoer.
As for how she has managed to survive over the years, the reality star defended her decision to participate in X-rated adult films, nude photo shoots, and exotic dancing engagements, insisting that she was willing to do whatever it took to provide for her kids.
She admitted that she “never wanted fame” but did “whatever I needed to do to make ends meet. And that was shaming myself, sacrificing my integrity.
“The life I was leading was not only destructive, it was dark,” she added. “It was the antithesis of who I am as a person.”
She revealed that she did not hide her scandalous profession from her children, adding that a “huge weight” was lifted when she told them.
In 2013, Suleman decided to live a more private lifestyle and went back to work as a therapist.
In 2012, Suleman was forced to exit her La Habra, CA, home, which features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and sprawls across 2,583 square feet, due to foreclosure.
“We were always struggling financially, but in 2013, that was more than ever. I went right back to my old profession as a therapist, working 40 hours a week. I used my education,” she told People.
“For years, I was typecast as the welfare recipient, unemployed mother, all of which is wrong.”
However, after spending five years working, Suleman was forced to quit her job in 2018 to care for her son Aidan, who is autistic.
In becoming her son’s full-time caregiver, Suleman said she began receiving financial support that has allowed her to better provide for her children, although she noted that she doesn’t get anywhere near enough to live a “comfortable” life with her kids.
“Aidan’s needs were becoming overwhelming. I’ve always been his only provider, but I never got paid. So in 2018, that’s when I started to get actually paid. It’s decent money, but it’s still nothing compared to what we need to make to be comfortable in life,” she said.
Months later, she moved into a 5,000-square-foot pad in Palmdale, CA, which she rented with her paycheck from her adult film work.
Suleman branded her journey one of “strength, survival, and success despite all the odds.”
The mum of 14 gave birth to octuplets Noah, Maliyah, Isaiah, Nariyah, Jonah, Makai, Josiah, and Jeremiah in 2009.
Before welcoming these eight kids, she was already mum to six children: Amerah, Calyssa, Elijah, Caleb, Joshua, and Aidan.
In September 2024, Suleman became a grandmother for the first time, revealing in an Instagram post that her son Joshua had welcomed a baby daughter with his wife the previous month.
She recently celebrated the little girl turning six months old in another social media post, describing the tot as “one of the greatest blessings” in her life.
“I can’t believe our little angel is already 6 months old!” she wrote, while sharing an image of herself with the little girl. “You have been one of the greatest blessings in all of our lives. Your beautiful, sweet smile fills my heart immeasurably. I love you more than words could express. We are all so grateful to watch you grow and thrive every single day!”
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