The 10 Photos That Defined This Year in Parenting

When a couple experiences a miscarriage or stillbirth and goes on to have another baby, that new child is called a "rainbow baby." After these moms survived the storm of a pregnancy loss, their beautiful rainbows emerge and two photographers illustrated this powerful concept. In a photo they shared to Facebook, Natalia Karpovovy and Elena Gannenko captured seven moms and their rainbow babies by posting side-by-side photos of the mamas while pregnant (each dressed in a color of the rainbow) followed by a moving image of the mothers in white holding their rainbow-clad kiddos. These shots inspired thousands of people to comment with their personal experiences and show off their own rainbow babies.

After giving birth, it can be even more challenging to pursue your dreams. Some parents don't have the support to go back to school, advance in their careers, or even to take a moment for themselves. But there are also some parents who won't let that stop them. When one strong mother couldn't find a babysitter for her son, she decided to bring him to class with her instead of giving up. And an understanding individual — who literally lent a hand to this mom in need — met her brave move. When the baby started to cry, the flustered mom started to leave class but her professor walked over, picked up her son to calm him, and continued to teach with the child in his arm. It’s amazing what can be accomplished when people lend support instead of criticism.

Many people are in support of normalizing breastfeeding but some feel strongly about the movement only up until a certain age. More moms than ever before are rallying by embracing the trend of sharing breastfeeding selfies, but photographer Jade Beall still made a big statement when she posted a bold self-portrait of herself nursing her 3-and-a-half-year-old son.

Jade, who practices "extended breastfeeding," is known for her photographs of real women's postbaby bodies and posted her own image in order to start a dialogue.

As excited as Anna Bozman was to marry Travis Thompson, she couldn't imagine a wedding without her son Lake. This mother showcased that a child never stops being part of your family after they pass with her powerful wedding portrait. With the help of her wedding photographer Brandy Angel, Bozman came up with a way to honor her late child when she exchanged vows six months after he passed — they photoshopped Lake into the family portrait with his two siblings.

After giving birth, women are constantly judged not only for their parenting styles but also for their postbaby body. And while some struggle to love their figures in the weeks and months after welcoming a child into the world, photographer Liliana Taboas is trying to change that. With her organization Divine-Mothering, Liliana documents new mothers of all shapes and sizes and showcases their beauty with stunning unretouched photos of their postpartum bodies. Liliana has made it her mission to help those struggling with body image issues and wrote on her blog:

Each time you look at your child and think how lucky you are to have them, photographer Agnus Wennman is hoping that you'll also remember the less fortunate children who are currently fleeing Syria. In his moving photo series, "Where the Children Sleep," the Swedish news photographer is attempting to humanize the nearly 4 million refugees by showcasing individual children and their struggles.

Amanda Bernier was diagnosed with an aggressive form of ALS just two weeks after learning that she was going to be a mother. Despite knowing that the crippling disease is characterized by loss of motor skills and eventually setting into paralysis with no cure, this mom-to-be was not only determined to carry her baby to term but also to breastfeed her child. Even though doctors didn't know how her body would react to a C-section, Amanda beat the odds by not only surviving the major surgery but also by successfully nursing her daughter.

When Paul Henson's son asked to dress as one of Disney's most beloved princess for
Halloween, the proud father shared a picture of Caiden in his Elsa costume. Not only did Paul teach his son to follow his dreams by posting the photo, but he also shut down potential haters by saying "keep your masculine bullsh*t and slutty kids costumes." Paul also added that at his son's request, he would be going dressed up as Anna. The viral pic of Caiden flouncing his dress and his father's strong message went viral and we hope the adorable duo had the best time ever!

Many people don't understand the full extent of what women go through during the painful process of in vitro fertilization unless they've been through it themselves. But now, just one photo of a baby girl says it all. The picture, shared on Facebook, shows a baby girl surrounded by a heart made up of hundreds of syringes and vials that her mother used during the blood draws and injections necessary to conceive her through IVF.

After overhearing other "well-meaning" parents, a 7-year-old girl with autism asked her mom a devastating question: "Does being autism make me bad?" The pair conversed about Cadence's fears by passing notes while the little girl was huddled under her teacher's desk. Her mother Angela decided to share the powerful exchange along with a moving message.