Sextuplets

Oprah Speaks With Jon And Kate Plus 8

Today was a bit chaotic on the Oprah Winfrey show. The talk show host was joined by my favorite TV couple and their 8 children.

jon and kate gosselin with oprah

Jon and Kate Gosselin, along with their twins, Cara and Mady and sextuplets Hannah, Joel, Leah, Collin, Alexis and Aaden sat down with Oprah to discuss life with two sets of multiples.

Many of you know the family from their TLC show ‘Jon and Kate Plus 8’, which airs every Monday night.

In 2000, Kate gave birth to twin girls, Cara and Mady. Then, the couple decided to try for one more child.

“We got a little more than we bargained for—we got six more,” Kate says. “We’re considered a fertility nightmare.”

At 5 weeks gestation, Kate had a feeling there was more than one baby growing inside of her.

“As soon as they flashed the ultrasound screen, I saw too many circles to count,” she says. “I was thinking, ‘These cannot be babies. There’s too many.’ I instantly went into shock.”

Jon’s reaction:

“He was close to tears, which he’s usually very silent and strong,” Kate says. “I thought, ‘Now we’re really in trouble.’ … It sounds funny now, but at the time, our whole lives just flashed before our eyes.”

Even knowing how draining – emotionally and financially – raising eight children would be but Jon and Kate say they never considered reducing the number of fetuses in the womb.

“When we went in for that [fertility] appointment, I said to them every time, ‘Really be careful with us, because we’re not doing that ever. It’s not for us,'” she says. “Actually, right before that ultrasound, the last thing I said to [the doctor] was, ‘Whatever you’re giving me, we’re taking.'”

On May 10th 2004 at an amazing 30 weeks gestation, in just three minutes the couple welcomed Alexis Faith, weighing 2 pounds, 11.5 ounces, Hannah Joy, 2 pounds, 11 ounces; Aaden Jonathan, 2 pounds 7.5 ounces; Collin Thomas, 3 pounds 0.5 ounces; Leah Hope, 2 pounds 14.8 ounces, and Joel Kevin, 2 pounds 9.7 ounces.

gosselin sextuplets

Now that the sextuplets are almost 4, the busy mom spends most of her time cooking healthy, organic meals for her family of 10.

“My day is make a meal, serve a meal, clean up a meal, clean up everything, wipe this one, change that one, deal with this one,” she says

Kate’s day by the numbers:

  • she runs the dishwasher two or three times a day
  • uses about 1,200 paper plates every month
  • do at least two loads a day, with the most being five a day

It took two days, six suitcases and three carry-ons to get the Gosselins from Pennsylvania to Chicago. When they travel, Kate says she fills luggage with treats, blankets, Crayons and toys to keep the kids busy during the flight. “Take tons of food,” she says. “That’s my secret for everything. When they’re cranky, just feed them.”

I love Kate’s no nonsense approach to motherhood. The kids don’t get away with anything in fact the couple says that “timeouts are as normal as blinking.”

They may be out of the “terrible 2” phase, but Kate says the sextuplets’ behavior has not improved. In fact, it’s gotten worse. “Actually, 3s are rougher for us than 2s,” she says. “Didn’t you know? Three is the new 2.”

If you would like to read more about the interview. Please visit Oprah’s site.

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About the author

Lisa Arneill

Founder of Growing Your Baby and World Traveled Family. Canadian mom of 2 boys, photo addict, lover of bulldogs, and museumgoer. Always looking for our next vacation spot!

134 Comments

  • I love your show! I found it while in the hospital after having knee replacements. It really help me with depression! My husband is from Trinidad, we use to fight over they way I spoke, because he was raised to speak the Quens English. We love each other enough to totally drop the issue, that’s what makes of us each speacial. Jon remines me of myself, I love the way he expresses his self! Kate please let Jon speak, what normal for him. He truly cracks me up, Mr. Down To Earth! Love Janis

  • I use to love the show, but now Kate acts so rediculious by treating Jon like he’s one of the children. She dosen’t want him to voice his opinion or say anything. I think Kate needs some serious parenting skills and she needs to go to a marriage councelor before she loses Jon. She would have a hard time finding another husband since everyone knows how rediculiously mean and controling she can be. The kids are getting way out of control. Get a grip on it now or pay for it later. The kids act so awlful, I don’t like watching the show anymore.

  • Hi iv been watching your programme in England and i love your S.O.H and how you cope with things i CANNOT believe the negativity in some of the comments made on here, i feel these people are just jealous and its AS IF they wouldnt do the same as you if given the chance, i darn well would,you have a large family to think of and for many years to come so why not? if things are offered GRAB Them WITH BOTH HANDS lol good luck i wish you well.

  • I think Kate it is an AMAZING MOTHER! She is my inspiration! Jon “PLEASE” hang in there! You are doing a fantastic job but you will never do it good enough for Kate because that is just the way Kate is. (no offence Kate God Bless You I love you 🙂

    AND I just have to say I can’t BELIVE Jodi and Jon’s brother spoke on camra about you and Jon having marriage problems. How dare they “comment and speak for you.” If I were Jon I would be pissed that my brother talked so bad about my wife!!!!!!!!

  • I am so disgusted by what I am reading. Everyone giving advice on how Jon and Kate should live their lives, ridiculing Kate, pointing out every little mistake that believe Jon and Kate have made–it’s just disgusting. This is horrible. If the people that have poasted had lives that were any better they wouldn’t be sitting on here picking apart Jon and Kate’s. JUST WATCH THE SHOW AND ENJOY IT. If you don’t like the show, don’t watch it, it’s really simple. As for them receiving money and people’s rants about them not deserving it…not one of those people would reject that money if it were given to them, but because its not their jealousy says it’s so wrong. These are parents just trying to do the best they can and are doing a great job, probably a better job then most of the people that posted above could. The children are very well taken care of and this should be the most important thing. About everything else, just live your own life and worry about your own children. I’m appalled. Just don’t judge others, my god.

  • I just want to say how much I love this show but more importantly, this family. My husband and I tune in each week. Your show is real and true. It’s one of the few wholesome shows that we enjoy watching. Our son is just three and sleeping went it’s on, but our thoughts always come back to him. As a family, these are some of the things that we have to look forward to. It just isn’t infront of a TV camera. If Jon and Kate were in front of me I would say this,take time to look back. You’ve come a long way. Love and cheerish each other and your family. And of course, have faith. Your fans will always outweigh the naysayers. I think that in general people are hurting. It makes them feel better about themselves to see someone else hurt. It’s human nature. Unfortunately, some will make money from this kind of air. Thank you two for sharing your lives with us. God Bless you and your family. ps I hope that you get to read this. Take care.

  • This is a reality show not real life they are greedy people looking for more and more and more and more hand outs and to see what else they can get for free.
    from a house to cars and choppers to scooters that they do not pay for to free clothes and food.

    this woman is not a queen she is a moron looking for fame because she is worried that she is going to land up in the trailer park.

    at least the masche family they work they have 6 babies and they have jobs , this woman kate she takes control like a bull dog i persoanlly think a good a** whooping is nessary or a good punch in the face works.

    she claims she is wtitting books that is a laugh because i hear from the other bloggers on the net this woman can not write and doesn’t know a a** and a hole in the ground. All that is going to come down to it once the show goes under and family needs money this woman will either get her own talk show that will feed into her idea of being a super mom (( blahh ))
    or sell photos of her kids that will scare them for the rest of their lives.

    from yelling to being a pushy mean bully to a wanna be famous person this woman surely takes the cake.

    at least the masche family is not like that the wife and husband don’t call each other names and give what kate calls love slaps they hold hands bryan and jenn masche they kiss not like the J&k the fakes.

    jenn is cute and very attractive you don’t see her cheating on her husband on a slimy teacher like jon did to kate , and you don’t hear about contracts saying the marriage is a fake to move on but oh still do the show or else.

    the lives and days of people on reality shows are not real people some of it is made up and the truth is sitting in front of our faces with J&k.

    i rather see the couple from arizona raising their 6 babies, the masche family involves all their family not exclueds them.

    we know that they have parents on either side and we all know they have aunts and uncles and sisters and bbrothers and friends that help them and they don’t look like greedy people like j&k they look like they will share the spot light and give then be greedy.

    greediness takes people no where that is one or two of the seven signs of the devils work, vain and greed! go figure people who think they are bbetter really are not!!

    laid back people is the best people not wanna be rich snobs thinking they are more then they are.
    big dreams and no idea leaves into nothingness and that is what j&k is nothing but a fake for god sake!!!

    the masche family are better looking and they have a laid back lifestyle not puts a fake crying act on camra worried about messing up her eye liner the woman runs a marathon from crying out loud and works as a physican praticinar assitant. she works a ful time job and her husband.

    what does kate do nothing she thinks she is a book writter she is a wanna be i am sure she does not even know how to work a computer and even know the idea of writting a book a kind of woman who you meet at a elementry school you want to knock on her butt for being a rude and crude b****h.

    and also kate nasty to boot at least the masche family the wife is cute not like kate who looks like a bull dog ewww is all i have to say nice hair ((gag with a huge spoon )).

  • I Think for the sake of the innocent children this couple who made it this long, should think back and work it out together.It is for the best interest of this unity, Kate should get rid of her brother and sis-in-law , so that they do not support her to build up enemity her and her husband Jon. I have a feeling that her family is adding fuel to fire and making this rift
    wider. Think about it

  • Freedom of speech. Good or Bad people are still interested. And so the show must go on. If the show gives you High Blood pressure then don’t watch it.
    ” Life isn’t always about the Pillow ,but about the Floor we have to lay on.” God Bless this family. I’ll see you next week.

  • I love aaden colin joel hanna alexis leah cara and mady and i am your biggest fan i just turnd 11 and i have been watching since i was 10 i really think that you should continue with the show it is my favorite show. P.S im to far away to babysit i wish i could but i am in michigan. I am in 6th grade you are blessed

  • I always thought Kate treated Jon as he 9th child.She showed no respect for him on any of the shows I watched.I am glad he finally woke up and began his life over again,I truly hope he finds a woman that respects him and looks upon him as her equal.But please Jon always have time for your children they have never disrespected you and love you very much.

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