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“Oh baby! Times eight!” California native Nadya Suleman always wanted a house full of children but, at 34 years old, the six children she already had simply weren’t enough. In 2008, she took matters into her own hands and opted for in vitro fertilization that would allow her to bear a set of octuplets, which instantly sparked widespread controversy and criticism since she had half a dozen children at home. Despite the criticism, Suleman held strong and, in January 2009, gave birth to all eight children without any complications making the octuplets only the second full set to be born alive in the history of the United States.

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While many questioned how she could financially support 14 children, Suleman was enjoying her time in the spotlight as “Octomom” and eventually landed a deal to star in her own reality series. In the meantime, the rumors of Suleman’s financial status proved true as she asked for financial help to support her children, which brought an entirely new wave of criticism. Add in the fact that Suleman’s appearance was constantly changing and the media had a field day speculating that Octomom was using donations to pay for plastic surgery rather than support her children.

Weighing around 270 pounds at the time she gave birth to the octuplets, Suleman miraculously dropped over half of the baby weight just eight months later when she weighed in at only 125 pounds and happily showed off her flat stomach. Of course, when she proudly posted photos of her post-baby body, the world couldn’t help but think it was more than just a dedicated workout routine and a healthy diet that helped the mother of 14 squeeze back into her “skinny” jeans.

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Suleman’s belly button was stretched out from carrying the octuplets but, in her post-baby pictures, there were no signs of the stretchmarks she had during the peak of her pregnancy. The other scars across her hip bones had also disappeared, which strongly suggested Suleman turned to cosmetic surgery to remove any signs of carrying 14 children. But, not even the media could get the truth from Suleman who said, “I just pinged back into shape like a rubber band after the kids. I don’t know how I did it. I eat like a horse, don’t count calories and have never owned a set of scales.”

There was more to Suleman that looked different than just her flat stomach as her face appeared to be altered as well with her lips fuller and her cheeks more pronounced than before. This led many to assume that the Octomom had Botox and other fillers injected into her face. Other experts also claimed that Suleman had a rhinoplasty to reshape and lengthen her nose, which was done exceptionally well and was only a subtle change. Suleman is also rumored to have a breast augmentation, which no one could blame her for after giving birth to 14 children. But, not even her bustier chest could distract the media from just how incredibly flat her torso looked after carrying around eight babies and 270 pounds for nearly nine months.

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Tired of the rumors and constant talk of scandal, Suleman stepped up in 2012 and was adamant that she was completely natural and had never, under any circumstances, gone under the knife to get her figure back. However, by 2016, her tune had changed as her popularity had obviously died down and led her to rethink some of her earlier comments. Much like her back-and-forth denials and confirmations that she was on public assistance, Suleman finally confessed. “I’ve had plastic surgery, but not half of what the media have said I had,” she said. “I had a breast augmentation after breastfeeding three kids, which I paid for myself as I was working.” But, in true Octomom form, her admission didn’t stop there.

“I had a tummy tuck after the octuplets when a media outlet promised me $100,000 to pose nude… I have had no work on my face, but I admit that in 2008 I injected my lips and it looked horrible,” she said. “I was so embarrassed and ashamed. In 2009, I did it again because a media outlet paid me.”

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With Suleman’s stories never truly adding up over the years from in vitro to public assistance, her attempt to return to the spotlight with a plastic surgery confession didn’t work out the way she hoped. Instead of rekindling her fame, the 41-year-old is now old news after telling the media, “I was so embarrassed I denied it, but it feels so freeing to finally tell the truth.” Today, after dabbling in pornography, reality television and a few other failed ventures, Suleman says she has many regrets but is focused on raising her 8-year-old octuplets and her other six children to make better decisions. “I don’t want my girls to go down the path of plastic surgery wanting to change themselves.”