You probably remember the girl from 16 and Pregnant who had to deal with a boyfriend wanting Chinese food while she was literally in active labor. That was Nikkole Paulun. It’s one of those MTV moments burned into the collective memory of anyone who grew up on a diet of early 2010s reality TV. But if you think her story ended when the camera crews packed up and left Monroe, Michigan, you’re missing the most bizarre and controversial parts of her life.
Honestly, Nikkole’s journey is less of a "where are they now" and more of a "did that actually just happen?" Her episode aired during Season 2, back in 2010. She was only 15 when she got pregnant with her son, Lyle. At the time, she was portrayed as a quiet, somewhat mousy girl trapped in a relationship with Joshua Drummonds, a guy who was—to put it mildly—troubled.
The Episode That Started It All
The MTV cameras captured a lot of tension. Josh was frequently in and out of juvenile detention and showed a staggering lack of empathy for Nikkole. During the birth, he famously got into a shouting match with Nikkole’s mother, Rikki, while Nikkole was trying to push. It was chaotic.
For a while, Nikkole was a fan favorite. People felt for her. She didn't have the "rich dad" safety net that some other girls on the franchise had, and she seemed to be genuinely trying to make things work with a partner who was clearly not ready for fatherhood. But then, the show ended.
And that’s when things got weird.
The Fake Pregnancy Scandal (Fakebabygate)
In 2013, Nikkole started posting on social media about being pregnant with her second child. For nine months, she shared updates, ultrasound photos, and belly shots. She named the baby Ashton. But followers started noticing things weren't adding up.
The "receipts" started piling up against her.
- The Bikini Photo: Just a few days after she allegedly gave birth to a stillborn son, a photo surfaced of Nikkole at a music festival (EST Fest) wearing a tiny white bikini. Her stomach was completely flat. There were no signs of a recent birth—no swelling, no maternity pads, nothing.
- Stolen Ultrasounds: Internet sleuths eventually tracked down the ultrasound photos she had posted. They weren't hers. They were stolen from various "mommy blogs" and Google Images.
- Recycled Hospital Bills: To prove she was in the hospital, she posted photos of medical documents. People zoomed in and realized the dates and patient information matched her first son Lyle’s birth years prior.
- The Moonbump: Her former best friend, Samantha, eventually came forward and claimed Nikkole had been wearing a prosthetic "Moonbump" to fake the pregnancy.
The motive? Most people believe she did it to manipulate an ex-boyfriend who had moved on with someone else. Others pointed to the fact that she sold the story of her "stillbirth" to Radar Online for around $2,500. Shortly after that check cleared, she appeared with breast implants.
She even went so far as to tell her young son, Lyle, that his baby brother had died. She gave him a teddy bear and told him it contained the baby's ashes. That part still leaves a bad taste in the mouths of fans who have followed her since the MTV days.
Where is Nikkole Now?
It’s 2026, and Nikkole has spent the last decade trying to transition from "reality TV casualty" to "mommy influencer." It hasn't been an easy road. She’s currently a mother of three: Lyle (born 2009), Ellie Jade (born 2015), and a third child born more recently.
One of the biggest rumors that follows her is about the custody of her oldest kids. For years, viewers speculated that her mother, Rikki, had legal custody of Lyle—a situation similar to Jenelle Evans and her mother, Barbara. While Nikkole has frequently posted on TikTok and Instagram claiming she has "full custody" of all her children, skeptics often point to her past history of "truth-stretching" as a reason to be cautious.
Her relationship with Josh Drummonds remained a rollercoaster for years. He struggled with severe substance abuse and legal issues, including arrests for meth and robbery. Nikkole has been open about the domestic violence she experienced with him, once sharing a harrowing story of him breaking into her home through a window.
Life in 2026
Today, Nikkole’s social media is a mix of "relatable mom" content, paid partnerships, and the occasional throwback to her MTV days. She seems to have a "block first, ask questions later" policy when anyone brings up the 2013 controversy.
- Career: She primarily works as a social media influencer.
- Family: She is married and often posts about her "blended family" life.
- Public Image: She tries hard to maintain a polished, aesthetic feed, though the "Fakebabygate" scandal remains the first thing that comes up when you Google her name.
The Reality Check
It’s easy to judge someone based on a 42-minute edited television episode from fifteen years ago. However, the layers of Nikkole’s story—the faked loss, the custody battles, the cycles of abuse—suggest a much more complex and perhaps troubled individual than the girl we saw on Season 2.
If you're following her journey now, the best approach is one of healthy skepticism. While she has clearly moved on and built a life for herself, the patterns of the past are hard for the internet to forget.
If you are looking to support former reality stars, it's always worth looking for those who use their platform for genuine advocacy rather than just engagement. For those interested in the real-world impact of teen pregnancy and the foster system, organizations like the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy offer data that is far more grounded than what you'll find on a "momfluencer" Instagram story.
The biggest takeaway from Nikkole’s story isn't just the drama; it's a reminder that "reality" on TV is often just the beginning of a much longer, weirder, and often sadder story.