The Resource Mothers Program was designed to help women with PKU gain metabolic control before or during a pregnancy by providing social support and promoting positive outlooks on life through home visitation. The Resource Mothers are women who have children with PKU, and thus understand the diet and hardships associated with the disorder. They provide social support, and act as role models for women with PKU, teaching them confidence in their ability to follow the strict diet while maintaining a relatively "normal" life.

Congratulations for choosing to help others by becoming a Resource Mother! You are participating in what will hopefully be a very rewarding experience. By acting as a role model, you are helping a young woman to learn how to avoid the possible effects of PKU in order to have a healthy child. By giving your Daughter the confidence and skills she needs to maintain the strict diet, you are helping the next generation start off right.

You are a role model: a teacher, a friend, a communicator, a liaison, a mentor, and most importantly, one who gives unquestioned support. You have a child with PKU, and you are an expert on the PKU diet. You are a trained professional. You are a Resource Mother.

You listen, shop, cook, give advice, keep records, accompany your Daughter to the doctors, and teach necessary skills. You provide support; you are a role model. You make a difference.

You are focused, always keeping track of metabolic levels, formula intake, weight gain, and general health and well-being of the mother and baby.

Through it all, you are objective. The rewards can be great, but at times, frustrations are unavoidable. You are patient and know where to turn for support. You remember that the greatest challenges produce the greatest rewards. You are a role model.

  • To provide warm, consistent support and emotional back-up
  • To visit and call your Daughter in her home on a regular basis
  • To enhance her self-esteem by recognizing her strengths and reinforcing them
  • To help create a feeling of trust and confidence by being a reliable friend and mentor
  • To act as a role model for appropriate parenting and basic life skills
  • To recognize your Daughter's individuality and not to criticize or impose
  • To be available for support
  • To set limits on appropriate behavior
  • To support your Daughter's wishes to engage in new experiences
  • To respect confidentiality
  • To help supervise ongoing treatment
  • To help your Daughter learn more about accessing community resources

You clarify issues about maternal PKU, help pregnant women obtain prenatal care, purchase food or other pregnancy items, plan and cook meals, and arrange transportation to the doctor. You provide emotional support and teach your Daughter's social support network about maternal PKU. You act as a liaison between your daughter and the metabolic center. Your rewards are both monetary and psychological.