I think she means she hates her life. That's certainly understandable. Those kids must be so neglected. I wish she would adopt them out.

One of the babies - actually more like a toddler at almost 2 1/2 - has a cleft palate that STILL has not been repaired. That is definitely neglect. Soon, he will have to endure the taunts and teasing of other children. That is so sad...

I haven't read the article..don't really care...but I do want to say that cleft palates often take many, many operations to correct... some doctors may even recommend that in some cases the operations start later because the recovery is easier for an older child and there may be other risks involved in operating too early.

Each case is different, but I wouldn't judge her on that unless you know the exact specifics of her child's case. I am sure it would be easier for her to care for and feed, etc.. a child with a corrected cleft palate so there may be some good reason it has not been fixed yet. It's probably more complicated than we know.

I just wouldn't be so quick to judge her on that.

sounds like another ploy for $$$...

yes, i can imagine having 8 2yo's (worked for a day care and the other worker and i had 15!) it was more constant changing diapers than anything else...and we did get to go home at night...

It's time for the authorities to take those children and give them to people who are able to provide good homes for them. I do think that she has a mental issue that needs to be addressed, but the children should not be punished for that.

Carla35, thanks for the information. I seem to recall that when the babies were born, the doctors said that the cleft could be easily repaired when .the baby was 3 or 4 months old. Strange that nothing at all seems to have been done. I

I believe cleft lips are usually repaired that early-- cleft palates are later... I'm not sure what her child has or if he has both (And, I'm probably not going to trust TMZ). They also consider if there are major feeding problems and or if speech is affected or if the problem is generally more cosmetic --which if so they may wait later on because the pain is hard on smaller kids and sometimes they pull out stitches, etc....

Also, I'm not 100% sure she hasn't had an operation for the child. (I couldn't find any legitimate post about that except one from over a year ago and your post here). Someone saying the cleft palate isn't yet fixed could just mean more operations are needed. Sometimes they'll need quite a few before they even look like they've had one. Each case is so different... It's not like you can say "Bad Mom..." when you don't know all the specifics. The guidelines or averages you may hear about are averages, but each case is very individualized and there are different theories on correction even amoung doctors.

I'm not saying she "couldn't" be negleting him but I would think authorities and others would be on top of it if she were. I also would think she wouldn't have a problem finding a doctor to do probono work when needed. It's kind of hard to have an opinion on it or bash her without knowing more and being highly educated about her son's case and cleft palates.

Carla35', thanks so much for all the information. I seem to remember her saying that it was a cleft lip and did not involve the palate. Whichever it was, I certainly hope the child is getting proper medical attention. Life can be very tough on a child who is 'different'. And he's got a tough enough road ahead of him coming from such a large family and having such an unstable mother,with no father in the picture.

Where are the older kids father or fathers?

And wasn't there a consenting doner father for the 8 babies?

Shouldn't they have to come up with some child support?

I have no more to say about her....I'd be digging deep into words I don't use.

Pattico, she claims all 14 have the same sperm donors, although several of the last 8 look very different. She refuses to name the fathers.

Geeez... I was hoping this woman would never be heard from again. Does the state she lives in not have a Dept. of Family and Children's services? There are thousands of childless couples who would love to adopt those children. I wonder why she's not investigated for neglect? What a living breathing disaster area.

Vicki, I have wondered that (where is the Division of Family Services), too. She's not about to give the babies up without a fight, because she would be forced to get a job and support herself - she has no marketable skills, per her own admission.

Oprah asked her about her 'skills' and Octomom said she has no skills. As it is, she is living better than most, due to welfare, free stuff etal.

First, I don't in any way approve what this baby factory has done or the choices she has made. BUT the kids are here, fact accomplished. I can understand how overwhelmed she is. I haven't kept up with the story, but does she have help? So many have said the kids should be taken away from her, but that isn;t the way things are done here in America. In my opinion, she should be offered help.....but with the stipulation that she gets herself "fixed" so there will be no more babies. There are all kinds of people on the welfare dole who shouldn't be there, if the social workers or who ever makes the decision to hand out the checks continue to hand out our tax money to these women, who year after year pop out a kid from fathers-unknown, and there is no discussion about taking their kids away, they can approve to take care of these kids....with strict stipulations.

There's no way I could care for 14 children. Just imagine the diaper changes. The eightuplets are about 2, unlikely they are toilet trained. I had two kids and I was exhausted. Well, I didn't hate them or myself, but I sure was tired. I feel sorry for her. She says she doesn't have "time" to discipline the older kids. How long does it take to put a kid in "time out" and make him sit quietly for a few minutes? I am not surprised at all. And she probably thought when they were born that she was on "easy street". HAHA!

"How long does it take to put a kid in "time out" and make him sit quietly for a few minutes?"

I don't know.. after helping out at preschool...I would guess anywhere from 2 minutes to 4 hours! :-)

I view this as another ploy for attention from a desperately needy person.

Evidently there isn't enough 'neglect' for child welfare to remove the children.

Jannie, the 8 are nearly 2 1/2, so they are not toilet trained. But neither are the 4 year old twins, and the 5 or so year old autistic boy. The toddlers are all still on bottles too - i hope their teeth are not damaged.

Maybe if Octo spent less time hiding in bathrooms, she'd have time to properly care for the children she wanted so dearly and would 'stop the world' for.

If I remember right , in the beginning the county was going to take all the kids away, but lawyers showed up and that ended that. If she had to pay for lawyers that would be a different story. Also unless this has changed, Kaiser is the medical group, and they are not the best and won't do anything more than they have to because of the medicade they are on. Their hands are tied because of rules and regulations. Social workers won't say anything either for different reasons.
Just some food for thought.
Marie who use to live in CA

I don't know much about this story, just vague snippets in the press here in Oz.

Two things I have always wondered.

Isn't the doctor or doctors involved in the "creation" of the 8 babies neglegent. I ssume there was some ivf involved ? No reasonable person can deal with 8 babies in one go.

Also the doctors that have done her plastic surgery, what must they be thinking.

And the tv cameras who film her, isn't she being exploited ?

I know she has brought this on herself, but surely onlookers have some moral obligation to help her.

As I said I don't know the full story !

She needs help from well meaning people.

The doctor lost his license to practic over this. That is a horrid price to have to pay for his stupidity in going along with her. I bet he really regrets it now.

Popi, she had all the kids by ivf. With the octuplets, they used a dozen embryos and 8 were born. She deliberately set out to produce as many at one birth as she could. She made the comment that when the babies were born, she thought the world would love her.

Why would she say something like this in public?

I'm almost thinking that she's trying to have Child Protective Services step in and take the kids.

I would last less than five minutes with 14 kids. Does she even know their names?

Judge Judy once commented that she was afraid Octo would reach a point where she'd harm the children. I pray she won't be the next Casey Anthony or Susan Smith.....

There outa be a law !!!!

poor kids with a test tube mother

I think she probably said something like that in public because she is "not all there" and desperate and crying out for help. I hope she somehow gets the help she needs before she does something drastic to either herself or her children.

I don't really think this is just a ploy for money. She was already mentally unstable and having that many children at young ages would be enough to send anyone over the edge all by itself!

She's doing damage control now.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fun Day

Zeetera, I can't help noticing that Octo is the only one smiling in those pictures . The children do not look happy.

Forgot to add that the little ones are all barefoot on that hot sidewalk. I hope those tiny feet don't get burn or cut up. :-(

My first thought was that she was doing well to take that many children near the water.

To me, whenever I look into their little faces there seems to be something missing. And you're right, the mom looks very good.

Personally I feel very sorry for her because I could not do it. I had one child and that was/is challenging enough - and he's a good child.

But something doesn't seem right with the whole thing. Normally people step in and help, whether it be relatives, neighbours, church folks, community. Is she somehow alienating these people? What about sponsors to help financially without getting involved? I am not saying that people should jump in and help, but normally there is an overabundance of people willing to aid others.

Zeetera, when the octuplets were first born, an organization of nurses (Angels in Waiting)offered her an extended period of at-home nursing care for the premies. Octo claimed they were spying on her, and threw them out. She has managed to 'burn' and alienate anyone who has come near her - even her own mother, who raised her first six children. She seems to be a truly toxic person, and sponsors - at least the mainstream reputable ones, want nothing to do with her.

Here's a picture of one of Octo's toddlers chewing on what is described as drywall, but is actually the inner portion of a punched-out hollow door. I remember seeing that damaged door in a video her house many months ago. She seems to be able to afford plastic surgery and designer clothes and bags for herself, so why hasn't she repaired something that is a danger to the children???

Here is a link that might be useful: Baby chewing 'drywall'

Her son according to her only has a cleft lip and after looking at him on the today show it appears to be an incomplete unilateral cleft meaning it's a small "slit" on one side that does not extend to the nose. My daughter was born with a cleft lip and palate. she will need many surgeries throughout her life. she had her first to repair her bilateral complete cleft lip when she was a week shy of 4 months. she will have her palate repaired in a few weeks and she will be almost 14 months when this happens. that little one should have already had his lip repaired. usually if it is just the lip and is complete there won't be many issues with feeding or speech that is usually more with palate involvement BUT some kids including my daughter with even just a cleft lip still will have some minor speech issues because the muscles of the lip will be tight after repair and they are unable to pucker or make certain sounds like the B sound or a smacking of the lips. my daughter is in speech already at only 13 months old but she is also doing lip exercises to help loosen her lips up as well as massages with the lip to help loosen it. all in all at 2 years of age his lip should have already been repaired even if for self esteem issues alone. soon he is going to start noticing that his little smile is different that others. just as beautiful but different

on the today show she categorically denied the comments. she says she never gave an interview with that magazine and is considering a liable lawsuit. regarding the cleft lip, he is having surgery tomorrow and it is only the lip that is involved. she pointed out that this was the only thing that wasn't perfect in all eight who were preemies. they are in preschool, advanced in intellect, in the 80th percentile size-wise and are much better behaved than they were on the show due to only sleeping two hours on the plane. her 9 yr old daughter was with them and quite the helper. all in all i was impressed with how she presented herself and mothered them both today and in pre-show film in california. she says that she works doing whatever she can do during the day, while they are in school, to make money. she is a personal trainer and is trying to get certified. she says she never wanted help and still refuses assistance by way of money or physical help in the home......

I watched the interview, and thought it rather intersting. She does seem to care for her kids. even though quite a handful. I kinda feel sorry for her older daugher, who seems to be the care keeper of them.

I would not want to be her for five minutes. Poor kids.

Glenda, that reminds me of another mother of a bunch of kids, the Duggers. She births them, nurses them a while, then turns them over to one of her other kids to take care of them. I didn't see the interview, but was it said if Octomoms still able to have more kids? (God forbid)

Natasha, your daughter is fortunate to have such a loving, caring mother. It must be so hard for you to watch her go through repeated surgeries. But you understand how important it is for her future development and well-being. Octomom obviously doesn't care about any of this, to allow poor Jonah to reach 2 1/2 without surgery, while she has clearly had many procedures done on herself - breast implants, liposuction, botoxed lips. Shame, shame, shame!

In the video taken from her home, I see that she has put up an above-ground swimming pool. I almost fainted when I saw that! A recipe for disaster with all those toddlers AND an autistic child! What was that woman thinking???

Check out the websites Stop Suleman or IVF Lies & Videotape. Read the timeline and you'll see just how neglectful, abusive, and nasty she is. Not to mention a liar, cheat and fraud.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stop Suleman

What was the point of paying all those PI fees?? Seems like she continued milking the system. I didn't have time to read past page 1 so I may have missed the results.

Scary that all that info has been retrieved. I better stay on the straight and narrow.

What was the point of paying all those PI fees?? Seems like she continued milking the system. I didn't have time to read past page 1 so I may have missed the results.

Scary that all that info has been retrieved. I better stay on the straight and narrow.