The premiere of Part 1 from the exciting 6-part series Confessions of Octomom aired on Monday night, focusing on the extraordinary circumstances that led to Suleman’s historic birth of eight children at once in 2009, along with the ensuing media frenzy that captivated the nation and sparked significant controversy.

Throughout the docuseries, Suleman’s 14 children, who are currently aged between 23 and 16, candidly share their experiences and feelings about being thrust into the public spotlight from birth, revealing the challenges and joys of growing up in such a unique family dynamic.

In her heartfelt explanation for coming forward now, Suleman expressed, “I’ve been waiting a long time to share my true story, and I believe the world is ready to hear it. Although I’ve chosen to stay out of the public eye, it’s important for me to have a voice. It’s finally time to speak honestly about my life and experiences.”

Her son Jeremiah, one of the remarkable octuplets, added, “I want everyone to see the reality of what really happened, not just the media’s lies, but the full story of our lives.”

While the octuplets are the ones who brought her fame, Suleman had already welcomed six children prior to their arrival. In the first hour of the docuseries, she introduces all of her children, starting with her eldest, Elijah, 23, and daughter Amerah, 22.

“The oldest, Elijah, told me that God put them in my life to keep me safe. To watch over me,” she shared about her two eldest children. “I’ve joked for years that they are like my parents, but they’re not.”

“She’s like a child in an adult’s body,” added Amerah, providing insight into their mother’s approach to parenting.

“Joshua, he’s by far the funniest person. He’s incredibly smart, caring, and an amazing husband and father,” Suleman continued, as she introduced her 21-year-old son, who recently welcomed his baby girl, marking her first grandchild.

“Then there’s Aidan, who is non-verbal and severely autistic,” Suleman elaborated, mentioning Joshua’s twin brother before introducing the 18-year-old twins, Caleb and Calyssa, who have their own unique personalities and stories.

Suleman shared her heartfelt desire to be a mother, stating, “I always wanted to be a mother” and had a dream of having “a big family.” She humorously added, “I think I might have overachieved in that department!”

Both Amerah and Elijah provide insights into their mother’s motivations for wanting such a large family. Amerah noted, “I think my mom told me that, because she was an only child, she always wanted siblings to grow up with.”

Elijah added, “She wanted brothers and sisters, and she didn’t get that when she was younger. So when she grew up and had a family of her own, she really went for it.”

Suleman recounted her journey, explaining that after having her first six children, she longed for one more child and had six embryos transferred through IVF. Her daughter Amerah recalled the moment when their mother started bleeding shortly after, only to be informed that they had “all expelled” and there were no more eggs. However, Suleman was then given the choice to transfer six more embryos, which she did while in a “sedated” state.

“I should not have been reflecting on something sedated,” she mentioned looking back, adding that while she “cannot say I regret my children, I love them,” she did have regrets about the decision after discovering that 10 embryos had taken, leading to the possibility of a multiple birth scenario.

“I felt so much guilt, wondering what I had done to my children. How was I going to spread myself thin with all of them? There’s no way,” she recalled thinking during that time.

As Suleman listed all eight octuplets’ names, she revealed that they all share the same middle name, Angel, which she chose because “they are miracles,” making it easier for her to remember their names.

The eight children include (top row above, l-r) Noah, Josiah, Isaiah, Nariyah, and (bottom row above, l-r) Jeremiah, Makai, Maliyah, and Jonah.

“When I was in elementary school, I remember telling all my friends, ‘These are all my siblings,’ and then they were like, ‘Why are you in the same grade?’” Nariyah reminisced. “‘Because we were all born at the same time.’ They were like, ‘That’s not normal. Why would having eight kids at the same time be normal?’ I was like, ‘Wait, having my picture all over the internet, that’s not really normal.’”

When asked if they felt “any different” from other children, Maliyah responded that she didn’t really think so…unless someone else brought it up.

“I don’t really feel different. Only when people point it out do I feel different from them,” she clarified. “If they bring that up, then I feel different from them. They make us feel like we’re a completely different species.”

When it came time for her delivery, Suleman expected to have seven children… but ended up welcoming eight, a surprising twist that she reflects on with disbelief and amazement.

Reflecting on the birth experience, she shared that she “felt everything” because the epidural was not strong enough for her size at the time. Although the ultrasound indicated seven children, there was another baby hidden inside.

“After the seventh, a resident went and examined the uterus and felt a hand,” she recalled, describing the moment she discovered “hidden” Baby H.

“He was the biggest. How do you miss a 3.5-pound baby? He was quite large. So that was a surprise,” she added, while Amerah exclaimed, “It was crazy.”

Despite Suleman’s efforts to keep her situation private, details about the multiple births—marking the first time octuplets had survived—quickly leaked to the press, leading to widespread scrutiny and outrage.

“I refused to do a press conference. I just wanted to go home,” Suleman recalled, explaining that a press conference occurred at the hospital without her knowledge or consent. “They started doing interviews without my awareness, without my permission. They were trying to manage the chaos, but it just made everything worse.”

She stated that as more people learned about her name and her story continued to explode, threats began pouring in, with people calling the hospital “threatening to kill the babies, to kill me.” Suleman claimed that the hospital “needed me to go to a safe house,” took away her phone, and “would not allow me to see my children unless” she agreed to give an interview, which they thought would quiet some of the noise.

“If I could go back in time, I would never have done the first interview, and I would have immediately sued the hospital,” she reflected on the decisions made during that tumultuous time.