Octomom Nadya Suleman's Ups and Downs

Mother known as Octomom returns to welfare in her latest woe.

ByABC News
January 7, 2013, 11:47 AM

Jan. 8, 2013— -- intro: Nadya Suleman has not had an easy time since becoming known to the world as Octomom after giving birth to octuplets in January 2009.

After her initial notoriety, the mother of 14 has seen her share of highs and lows.

Currently, the 37-year-old mother is back on welfare.

Suleman's rep, Gina Rodriguez, told ABCNews.com Monday that Suleman has once again sought out "state assistance for a brief period of time."

"She spent most of her savings while she was in Chapman Treatment center, paying for around-the-clock nannies, drivers, security and her treatment program," Rodriguez said in an email. "She does not expect to be on longer than three months."

Though she had initially denied using public assistance after the birth of the octuplets, Suleman revealed in April 2012 on "Today" that she was accepting $2,000 per month in food stamps from the state of California.

She weaned herself off welfare five months ago but her bank account was quickly depleted after she entered rehab in October 2012 for what her rep said at the time was "anxiety, exhaustion and stress."

Along with this latest setback, click through to see a list of Suleman's ups and downs in recent years.

quicklist:title: Suleman Enters Rehabtext:Suleman checked into rehab at the Chapman House Treatment Center last Oct. 23 to deal with "anxiety, exhaustion, and stress," stemming from an addiction to Xanax.

"Ms. Suleman has been taking Xanax that was prescribed by her doctor to deal with her anxiety but she felt she needed a treatment program to help with her recovery," her representative said in a statement to ABCNews.com at the time.

The rep noted, "Although the rehab offered to treat her at no charge, Ms. Suleman opted to pay for the program."

She also left her 14 children in the care of three nannies and a couple of friends.media: 18153247

quicklist:title: Suleman Files for Bankruptcytext: At the end of April 2012, Suleman filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in federal court.

According to court documents obtained by E! News, Suleman claimed she has less than $50,000 in assets and owed between $500,000 and $1 million to creditors including Amir Haddadin, the owner of her La Habra, Calif., home; Orkin Pest Control; Kaiser Permanente; Verizon Wireless; Sylvan Learning Center; and others.media:

"I have had to make some very difficult decisions this year and Filing Chapter 7 was one of them," Suleman told E! "But I have to do what is best for my children and I need a fresh start."media: 17740475

quicklist: title: Suleman Investigated for Child Neglecttext: Last April was a rough month for Suleman.

It began with her facing charges of child neglect after TMZ posted photos from her hairdresser who purportedly wanted to show the children living in squalor, locked in their bedrooms and confined to using potty seats outdoors.

The photos and resulting media coverage prompted police and California child welfare officials to visit the family's La Habra, Calif., home, but they later told ABC News that they did not find anything unusual and determined that the children were safe.

"We were set up," Suleman told "Good Morning America" of the photos. "I think maybe me and my kids were set up."media: 17601471

quicklist: title: Suleman Does Porn Videotext: Suleman was hoping to turn her financial ship around by signing a deal to star in a movie for a porn company soon after she filed for bankruptcy.

Though Suleman had previously turned down a million dollar offer from porn giant Vivid to headline a movie, she agreed to appear solo in the adult film "Home Alone" produced by Wicked Pictures. The film was released in June 2012.media: 18153190

quicklist:title: Suleman Stripstext: Soon after her porn film debut, Suleman booked her first stripping gig.

The mother of 14 cancelled her first gig, scheduled in July 2012 at T's Lounge in West Palm Beach, Fla., and instead made her debut at Hallandale, Florida's Playhouse South "gentlemen's club." According to The Miami Herald, she was decked out in S&M garb, including a mask, thigh-high black boots, black leather gloves and a corset. In June, the owner of T's Lounge filed a breach of contract suit against Suleman, adding to her woes.

Suleman turned to stripping after working with Dial a Star, in which people pay money to talk to a celebrity over the phone.

"This is an idealistic kind of job and I feel guilty at the same time because people are actually spending money to talk to me, a star," she told ABC News' "Nightline" in May 2012. "I'm not a star. I'm just a mom. I'm a mom in the public eye."media: 18153490

quicklist: title: Suleman Loses Her Home, Gets Bigger Onetext: Suleman was turned out of her La Habra, Calif., home when it was foreclosed on last summer.

In July, she reached out to fans, asking them to donate to the website GoFundMe.com to help her raise $150,000 to get a house of her own. "I am having to move out of my home soon and I'm very close to being able to buy a home for my kids. Your support is appreciated," Suleman stated on the site.

In October, before checking into rehab, Suleman gave the website Rumorfixa tour of her new, 5,000-square-foot Palmdale, Calif., home.media: 16786010