Octomom Natalie 'Nadya' Suleman Recalls Late Parents 'Enabling' Her to Have Multiple IVF Procedures (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

Natalie ‘Nadya’ Sulemandidn’t become a mother of14 kidsall on her own.Though she’sfamously single, having conceived all of her children viaIVF with donor sperm, Suleman, 49, tells PEOPLE that looking back, her parents Edward and Angela had a big hand in her remarkable journey to motherhood.“I had a very, very close relationship with my dad,” she says, opening up ahead of her new Lifetime docuseriesConfessions of Octomom. “With my mom, I longed for that relationship. I was absolutely fortunate to secure that a year and a half, two years before she passed. But my dad and I were always very close, and typically I was very honest with him, except with, let’s say, the last pregnancy.“Angela Suleman with daughter Natalie ‘Nadya’ Suleman and her octuplets.PolarisThough her father tried to encourage her to marry and have children “the traditional way,” Suleman, whoidentifies as asexual, says “he was supportive. He was so unconditionally accepting and loving. I know he didn’t agree with my choices, but I always saw how he defended me publicly and how he was always there for me.“Back in 2009, Suleman’s mom was very outspoken about her daughter’s situation and not agreeing with her decisions to grow her family, considering Natalie was living with her at the time. When the octuplets arrived she and her parents were struggling to afford and care for six children she already had.“I told her she needed to stop because I wouldn’t be able to help her and there’s not enough room in the house, but for some reason she couldn’t,” Angelatold CBSat the time of her daughter seeking out back-to-back IVF treatments over the years. She added, “I guess that’s what happens when a person is obsessive compulsive.“Octomom Natalie ‘Nadya’ Suleman.Nadya Suleman/InstagramBut when it comes to both of her parents, Suleman says they majorly impacted her journey to motherhood. “They’re no longer here, but psychologically I’m well aware that they were enabling, they enabled,” she says. “Because if they weren’t enabling, even though they were fighting it the whole time, especially my mom, I wouldn’t have been able to have my children.“As for her late mom, the two mended their relationship years later and she misses her to this day. “If I had it to do over again, if I knew what I know now, I would’ve hopefully given my mom more years,” she says. “Because I would’ve known she was going to have ovarian cancer, and I would’ve convinced her and paid for an ectomy [a procedure to remove ovaries]. “I would’ve definitely done that many years back.“I Was Octomompremiered March 8, whileConfessions of Octomomairs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET both on Lifetime.

Natalie ‘Nadya’ Sulemandidn’t become a mother of14 kidsall on her own.

Though she’sfamously single, having conceived all of her children viaIVF with donor sperm, Suleman, 49, tells PEOPLE that looking back, her parents Edward and Angela had a big hand in her remarkable journey to motherhood.

“I had a very, very close relationship with my dad,” she says, opening up ahead of her new Lifetime docuseriesConfessions of Octomom. “With my mom, I longed for that relationship. I was absolutely fortunate to secure that a year and a half, two years before she passed. But my dad and I were always very close, and typically I was very honest with him, except with, let’s say, the last pregnancy.”

Angela Suleman with daughter Natalie ‘Nadya’ Suleman and her octuplets.Polaris

Polaris

Though her father tried to encourage her to marry and have children “the traditional way,” Suleman, whoidentifies as asexual, says “he was supportive. He was so unconditionally accepting and loving. I know he didn’t agree with my choices, but I always saw how he defended me publicly and how he was always there for me.”

Back in 2009, Suleman’s mom was very outspoken about her daughter’s situation and not agreeing with her decisions to grow her family, considering Natalie was living with her at the time. When the octuplets arrived she and her parents were struggling to afford and care for six children she already had.

“I told her she needed to stop because I wouldn’t be able to help her and there’s not enough room in the house, but for some reason she couldn’t,” Angelatold CBSat the time of her daughter seeking out back-to-back IVF treatments over the years. She added, “I guess that’s what happens when a person is obsessive compulsive.”

Octomom Natalie ‘Nadya’ Suleman.Nadya Suleman/Instagram

Nadya Suleman/Instagram

But when it comes to both of her parents, Suleman says they majorly impacted her journey to motherhood. “They’re no longer here, but psychologically I’m well aware that they were enabling, they enabled,” she says. “Because if they weren’t enabling, even though they were fighting it the whole time, especially my mom, I wouldn’t have been able to have my children.”

As for her late mom, the two mended their relationship years later and she misses her to this day. “If I had it to do over again, if I knew what I know now, I would’ve hopefully given my mom more years,” she says. “Because I would’ve known she was going to have ovarian cancer, and I would’ve convinced her and paid for an ectomy [a procedure to remove ovaries]. “I would’ve definitely done that many years back.”

I Was Octomompremiered March 8, whileConfessions of Octomomairs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET both on Lifetime.

source: people.com