LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The Southern California mother of octuplets was given a baby shower of sorts on television's Dr. Phil show, with cribs, bunkbeds, upgrades to her new home and nursing help to care for her 14 children -- all provided free of charge.
Various providers appeared before Dr. Phil McGraw's applauding studio audience to pledge their help creating a safe, clean home for Nadya Suleman's 14 children.
Suleman said she's grateful for the help, which is to include a new nursery, new flooring and other construction upgrades in the La Habra home she intends to live in with her children.
The fixes are being made in order to prepare the home for inspections from hospital officials, which determine whether the house is suitable for children, according to McGraw.
Kaiser Permanente Bellflower Medical Center spokeswoman Beth Trombley said she and a social worker from the hospital walked through the house Wednesday to provide recommendations, but would not specify what they were.
"We're encouraged to see that she's really doing as much as she can to make sure to provide for these babies," said Trombley.
Suleman has said all but two babies were healthy enough to leave the hospital and that they would be released two at a time after the new home passes muster.
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The octuplets will require around-the-clock care from at least two caregivers. Angels in Waiting, a nonprofit group of nurses that specializes in caring for fragile infants and children, estimates the babies combined will need 64 feedings a day. At half an hour a feeding, that adds up to 32 hours a day just to keep the octuplets nourished.
Lawyer Gloria Allred, who represents Angels in Waiting, said Wednesday that the nonprofit will provide training for Suleman and nannies that she hires and pays, and will also supervise the babies' care.
