Malnutrition is a public health problem, it is a cause of mortality and morbidity recognized worldwide and especially in countries like ours, and specifically marasmus type malnutrition generates high risk of death. The Santa Ana Children Hospital in Medellin, reported in 2009, that 63% of its patients had this diagnosis. The purpose of this research Project is to identify the representations of motherhood that mothers of children with a diagnosis of marasmus type malnutrition in this clinic between 2011 and 2012. The method used was a qualitative design under a hermeneutics phenomenological approach, using life stories as a methodological strategy. The data collection technique employed was the interview with the participation of 7 mothers between the age of 15 and 46, who came to the Santa Ana Hospital in the city of Medellin with a child who had the diagnosis of marasmus type malnutrition. The motherhood representations, found in the stories told by these mothers give support to the name of this research project which is Maternal failures: the story of no nursing, being the relation with the specific characteristics in deficits in the mother-child relationship. Conclusions: the malnutrition phenomenon is a complex isuue that goes beyond nourishment. Health personnel should consider the psychological aspects present in the marasmus type malnutrition. Conclusions: the phenomenon of malnutrition is a complex issue, goes beyond food. And people who are concerned with health and topic should consider the psychological aspects that are present in marasmus type malnutrition. © Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Sociales.