The mother of octuplets

I've read and seen quite a bit on the news about this in the past several days.  I think there are a lot of questions about the ethics of what happened since the clinic where she had this done knew she had six other children because the same doctor implanted them.  I read that she has been on disability since a work-related injury several years ago.  In an interview she said she wants to go back to school to complete her degree (psychology, I think), but I wonder when she will have time with 14 kids (and 8 of them brand new).  It sounded to me as if she wanted a lot of children, but for many reasons that, to me, would raise red flags.  It made me wonder whether she or perhaps the doctor was hoping for book/movie/tv series deals and thereby not only getting a lot of money and sponsors, but the proverbial 15 minutes of  fame.

Sometimes it doesn't seem fair to be hardworking and honest, the average person trying to eke out a living while watching crazy things like this go on.  What kind of message is this situation sending?  What price will those children pay?

Ummmm, yeah.  Single Mom, disabled because of a BACK injury.  Hello?  Carrying ONE baby hurts the back.  Not to mention a whole lot of other body parts I won't mention.  And it isn't as if she can AFFORD these children.  I don't get it.

Yeah, from what I read, she is hoping for a tv show about raising kids.  She has a publicist, so that must tell you something

I feel bad for the children though, both the new babies and her other 6 kids

 Oh My Goodness! Seriously?  This type of stuff just makes me sick...

You know if she had 14 dogs she would be a hoarder and AC would be after her!

From what I've read, companies are steering clear of her.   People are threatening to boycott if they give her any breaks.

Personally I think it is beyond selfish and disturbing.  Babies need to be touched and held.  How can you do that with EIGHT?!  I have seen and touched babies in orphanages that are emotionally and mentally damaged simply because they did not receive enough touch and nuturing as infants.  I really do think that not being able to HOLD your own child for certain periods a day can mentally and physically compromise their growth.  How is she going to have time to nurture EIGHT babies?

 She wants to get a Master's in counseling - does that tell you anything???  A certain percentage of people in that profession are there because they are smart, want to help others, and are nice people.  Then, there's a percentage that are there because they are whack jobs themselves - the deer in the headlights, the fixers, the controllers.

Three of her children are disabled, by what I don't know, but I could take a guess - depression, bipolar, OCD, learning disability, name your poison.  And, the fact is that those things tend to run in families where there is depression and other issues.  Genetics, folks x 14.  The State of California is about to spread the cost of a few more babies among the taxpayers.  Personally, I wouldn't give her a red cent.  In my state, after the third child, you get no additional funds.  Funny, many of the coasters are starting to limit their families... Patience wears thin in cases like this - where was grandma when she was first implanted?  She should have reported the doc that day.

As an only child, I resent anyone giving that as the reason someone would want fourteen babies that they cannot afford.  That's just crap.  Being an only child, absent any other factors, does not imply dysfunction! 

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spiritdogs

 She wants to get a Master's in counseling - does that tell you anything???  A certain percentage of people in that profession are there because they are smart, want to help others, and are nice people.  Then, there's a percentage that are there because they are whack jobs themselves - the deer in the headlights, the fixers, the controllers.

As an only child, I resent anyone giving that as the reason someone would want fourteen babies that they cannot afford.  That's just crap.  Being an only child, absent any other factors, does not imply dysfunction! 

Agreed on both fronts!!!

As a psychologist myself (social psych, though) I hate to speak ill of the industry, but sadly it does appear that a disturbing number of people enter the counseling profession for all the wrong reasons. "Let me figure out what's wrong with me!" Like people who go into teaching because they can't decide what else to do, and don't really care about the kids - they figure since they went through school, surely they're qualified to teach. Not always the case.

And the only child factor really pisses me off. Show me a nutty only child and I'll show you a nutjob with siblings. In fact, I would hazard a guess that statistically only children favor smaller families (we crave what we're familiar with, after all). Sigh.

I read a story in the paper that said she lives with her parents.  Her Mother was quoted as saying she did not want her daughter to have all these children and that she (the Grandmother) was not able to help with all of them.  Don't know how much of that is true.  The babie's Mother was on Dateline or one of those shows the other night and she seemed a bit "off" to me.  I personally feel the Doctor that did the implant was not following his oath to do no harm.  It's extremely sad and I think the woman has mental problems. If she is doing it for the money, the children would be better off adopted to parents who want children for the right reasons.  It's sad and infuriating.

 Yeah my best friend is an only and she wants NO babies! lol

she's had my mind boggled for a while really. I mean what does she actually KNOW about raising kids to have a show about it LOL. From what I see her own Mother and Father have done more to raise the kids than she has?

I really don't know. I heard a sum brought in from disability...and how much of that went to her KIDS rather than begetting more by technological means?

She is likely causing it to become a lot harder for future parents who have legitimate need and desire for the technology, to get it...I fear.

In this I feel the most badly for her kids, and then her parents...but honestly they've enabled the situation...by taking in those kids. On pregnancy #4 or so I might've said "You know I love you, and I love your kids...but it's time to grow up...get a job and support your children...YOURSELF" I know that's so hard to do but when a person has an addiction like this woman does...you really cannot enable them in any way.

There are a lot of yes ethical and moral issues here...and my problem is not really with the number of children but more her reasoning for having them, her seeming disinterest in raising them once they are not "babies" any longer, and the great financial lengths she has gone thru to obtain MORE...her priorities are wrong somehow...and her mind is twisted...and the repeated "when I get my degree I will havae a job and support my kids" WHAT job pays that much? WHAT daycare can handle all those children while you work? WHAT will you do when your parents are gone and your kids STILL need daily care and you still need help?

I read that she intends to breastfeed this new litter.  Good luck with that.  And yes, to me, this IS a litter.  I agree with all the folks who have said that the children will be shortchanged.  Poor little ones.

They talked to her mom on the  news and the poor woman is completely frazzled and beside herself trying to care for the other six.  She said she has wall to wall beds and piles of clothes all over her house.  The babies mom said she plans to move to a bigger house .... but Helooo!!  She live in CA.  Even though house prices have dropped she'd still have to lay out a bundle for one big enough for 15 people.

Joyce

sheesh I am sure Extreme Home Makeover will build her one!

 If these were puppies, we'd be calling her a hoarder.  Isn't the definition of hoarding thus:  having too many, not realizing that harm is coming to them, increasing the numbers when you can't take care of the ones you already have, living in overcrowded conditions, ya da ya da ya da...