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50 Photos of Mothers Helping Their Children Through the Most Challenging of Times

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Perhaps one of the scariest parts of motherhood is when you have to trust someone else to help your child. A doctor. A nurse. A surgeon. A teacher. A therapist. Moms don’t like to sit on the sidelines. But even when she can’t make everything better, a mother will try. With a hand to hold. With a shoulder to cry on. With a kiss. With a joke. With just being there. 

Below are just a few of the many mothers who sent us a photo of them with their child getting through a difficult hospital stay. Here’s to you, moms.

1. 

A woman hold her child's head as he sleeps on a hospital bed.
Photo via Amy Gerrish Bennett

2.

Mother holds her newborn child on her chest.
Photo via Elizabeth Pinho Caulfield

3.

A woman smiles next to her son, who lays in a hospital bed.
Photo via Beth Olsen Arimond

4.

A woman holds her child, who's wearing a hospital gown.
Photo via Megan J Haynes

5.

A little girl sits on her mom's lap. The girl wears a neck brace.
Photo via Jillian Swinkels

6.

A woman looks at her child, who's hooked up to a breathing tube.
Photo via Laura Burgess Martin

7.

A woman holding her baby in a hospital.
Photo via Ashley Mobley

8.

A woman and her baby laying in a hospital bed. They stick out their tongues.
Photo via Daniella Antunes Ferreira

9.

A woman holding a baby in a hospital.
Photo via Brooke Arabo

10.

A woman and her baby, the baby has a bandage on his head.
Photo via Elizabeth Oyer Daugherty

11.

A baby with a bandage on his head kisses his mom's chin.
Photo via Julie Clack

12.

A woman holding her child at the hospital. The child has a binky and is reaching her hands out.
Photo via Lauren Casper

13.

A woman kisses her son on the cheek. He has a bandage on his head.
Photo via Kristin Bricker Kolb

14.

A woman holds her daughter, who's wearing a hospital gown.
Photo via Janet Mary

15.

A mom smiles with her daughter, who's laying in bed with a breathing tube.
Photo via Dianne Stinnett

16.

A little boy and his mom laying in a hospital bed.
Photo via Jacqueline Marie

17.

A little baby with breathing tubes, being propped up by her mom.
Photo via Michelle Schwindler

18.

A mom stands over a little boy, who's laying in a hospital bed.
Photo via Kathryn Singleton

19.

A mother kisses a little boy who lays on a hospital bed.
Photo via Sarah Murray

20.

Close up of a mom holding a child's hand.
Photo via Kim Watt

21.

A mom holds a baby in a hospital.
Photo via Sarah Martin

22.

A woman smiles at her son, who's laying down in a hospital bed.
Photo via Jennifer Lay-Bollinger

23.

A mom rests on a chair holding her baby.
Photo via Donna Marie

24.

A mother looks down at her baby, who's laying on a hospital bed.
Photo via Chelsea Shoun Adams

25.

A mom holds her baby.
Photo via Dawn Hamilton

26.

A baby sleeps and sucks his thumb, draped over his mom's shoulder.
Photo via Jennifer ‘Brunel’ Baker

27.

A mom looks at her newborn baby in the hospital.
Photo via Kathleen Simpkins

28.

A mom gently puts her thumb on the mouth of a little boy, who's laying in a hospital bed.
Photo via Kelly Slattery

29.

A mother in hospital scrubs holds a little boy, who's wearing a white gown.
Photo via Belinda May

30.

A mom and her son look at each other while a laying in a hospital bed. The boy holds a toy snake.
Photo via Alicyn Mullins

31.

A mother kisses a little boy sitting in her lap.
Photo via Lauren Marx-Abel

32.

A mom sits on a chair on a hospital room, holding her baby.
Photo via Danielle Wise

33.

A mom holds a baby next to a crib in a hospital.
Photo via Whitney Greenlaw

34.

A mother holds her baby sitting in a chair.
Photo via Kristy Sullivan Pardeck

35.

A mother hold her baby, sitting in the hospital.
Photo via Shelly Pruitt

36.

A mom with a face mask leans over her baby. The baby's shirt says Happy Mother's Day.
Photo via Nicole Richnavsky

37.

A mom smiles at her son, who sits in a hospital bed with toys.
Photo via Andrea ‘Dolney’ Mullenmeister

38.

A little girl with a breathing tube leans her head on her mother's shoulder.
Photo via Katie Reid Osburn

39.

A mother and her daughter spoon in a hospital bed.
Photo via Crystal Wright

40.

A mom and her child, who has no hair.
Photo via Gillian Howle Plasman

41.

A mother holds a baby, who stares at her.
Photo via Jessica Beers

42.

A mom holds her son.
Photo via Katherine Rosenberg Scholen

43.

A mom sits on a chair, holding her son.
Photo via Ally Probst

44.

A mother and son pose in the hospital wearing fake mustaches.
Photo via Melanie Norris Cameron

45.

A mother watches her daughter sleeping in a hospital bed.
Photo via Liz Buvinger

46.

A mom smiles with her daughter, who sits in a crib in the hospital.
Photo via Maggie Miller

47.

A mom and her baby/
Photo via Michelle Metheney

48.

A mom looks down at her baby.
Photo via Jess Hurst

49.

A mom looks down at her baby in the hospital.
Photo via Lauren Wunderlich

50.

A little newborn baby holds his mom's finger.
Photo via Rebecca Edwards-Powel

Originally published: May 9, 2015
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