Aa
really wierd craving, I'm going crazy!!
Ok, please don't think I'm wierd!! I am 35w pregnant, and for the last week I have been craving dirt!!! NO, I don't want to eat it, but just want to smell it!! I find myself going out to our garage just to, well sniff around I guess, since it is dusty out there!! When I take the kids out to play, I will just sit, and run my hands through the dirt!! I read up on this pregnancy sympom online, and I guess it is a form of pica! My iron has been low, but this is just kind of freaky to me!! Does anybody else have any really strange cravings?
Butterfly Cotton... what?! Eew!!! When I was pregnant I couldn't even LOOK at a piece of raw meat, much less smell it. Silly pregnant women!
This is strange but I love the smell of raw meat. I'll stand in the butchers just so I can sniff it. I also thought a piece of chalk looked tasty the other day..but thought it wasn't such a good idea so my DH hid all the chalk. lol
My thing has been smelling cigarettes, some days (about two-3 weeks ago) I'd just crave the smell of cigarettes. I'd actually go stand outside by the smokers for a couple minutes. (I know... not healthy, but it was like 5 min. only about 4X total)
I wanted to smoke one for the taste... but I HATE cigaretts normally and don't smoke. thank god I haven't given in.
I wanted to smoke one for the taste... but I HATE cigaretts normally and don't smoke. thank god I haven't given in.
Oh you're not alone at all!! I've been craving the smell of a nail salon. When you walk in a nail salon it has a certain smell, and I've been wanting to smell that lol. Or the smell of a candle being blown out, I know its weird. lol
I am also very glad you posted this, I have been eating and craving crushed ice for about 2 months now. I wonder if I should talk to my dr about it. Anyway this the firstI have heard about pica cravings. I'll have to look into it.
I was talking to my co worker about this just last week. A friend of hers would crave it so bad she would actually put a little bit of dirt in her mouth each day to get rid of the craving. Sounds completely gross, but its what it took for her to get rid of her craving. I am not sure if she took iron supplements or not to fix it, but she actaully ate dirt.
I am really glad you posted this because I was not going to say anything to my doctor, but now I will. It seems like Im not crazy and it may be somewhat normal for pregnant women (what wierd things are not normal for us?)
I have actually been crunching ice today and that has helped with my dirt craving. (I still feel strange saying that!)
I have actually been crunching ice today and that has helped with my dirt craving. (I still feel strange saying that!)
omg joy, that is completely discusting!!! Just glad it a natural substance that I'm craving and not toxic like paint chips or something!!
Here's something to keep you from putting it in your mouth---outside cats and animals like to poo and pee in dirt! Eew!!! You can get listeriosis or salmenello or taxoplasmosis (sp?).
LOL! At least you're not sniffing glue or Windex.
LOL! At least you're not sniffing glue or Windex.
my friend who is due 1 week before me she said with he last pregnancy she craved sand.....actually her mouth would water wanting to eat it......now that would worry me....you should talk to your Dr about it none the less
Yeah, I've been so embarrased to tell anybody, but I finally told dh last night!! He said so you wanna go mud wrestle!! What a punk!! He said as long as I'm only playing in it he's ok with it!! But, he said that if he catches me trying to put it in my mouth he's gonna lock me in the house!! But gross! I suppose I'll have to mention it to my doctor on the 12th, but it's kind of embarrasing to admit you are having a craving for dirt!
I just found this and it is sometimes linked to iron deficiency:
Expert Answers
Bridget Swinney, nutritionist
No one knows for sure. Some pregnant women develop strong cravings for non-food items such as dirt, ashes, clay, chalk, ice, laundry starch, baking soda, soap, toothpaste, paint chips, plaster, wax, hair, coffee grounds, and even cigarette butts. This phenomenon is called pica (which is Latin for magpie, a bird that will eat almost anything).
No one knows what causes these cravings, but a combination of biochemical, psychological, and cultural factors may be at work. In some studies, these bizarre cravings have been linked to an iron deficiency — even though none of the craved items contain a significant amount of iron. Some women who have iron-deficiency anemia crave ice until the deficiency is cured. And pica is sometimes listed as a symptom of iron-deficiency anemia.
If you crave non-food items, it doesn't necessarily mean you have any sort of deficiency, and it definitely doesn't mean you should consume them! In fact, eating non-food substances can interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients and may even cause a deficiency. And while eating ice is not likely to be harmful (except possibly to your teeth!), eating dirt and most of the other items mentioned can lead to illness, such as lead poisoning or bowel blockage, or in rare cases, even death.
If you're having any strong cravings for non-food items, it's a good idea to talk to your physician or midwife. While this kind of craving does occur in healthy pregnant women, it's worth getting checked for any underlying physical or psychological problem. And just talking with your practitioner about these feelings may help you deal with them in a healthy way.
Expert Answers
Bridget Swinney, nutritionist
No one knows for sure. Some pregnant women develop strong cravings for non-food items such as dirt, ashes, clay, chalk, ice, laundry starch, baking soda, soap, toothpaste, paint chips, plaster, wax, hair, coffee grounds, and even cigarette butts. This phenomenon is called pica (which is Latin for magpie, a bird that will eat almost anything).
No one knows what causes these cravings, but a combination of biochemical, psychological, and cultural factors may be at work. In some studies, these bizarre cravings have been linked to an iron deficiency — even though none of the craved items contain a significant amount of iron. Some women who have iron-deficiency anemia crave ice until the deficiency is cured. And pica is sometimes listed as a symptom of iron-deficiency anemia.
If you crave non-food items, it doesn't necessarily mean you have any sort of deficiency, and it definitely doesn't mean you should consume them! In fact, eating non-food substances can interfere with your body's ability to absorb nutrients and may even cause a deficiency. And while eating ice is not likely to be harmful (except possibly to your teeth!), eating dirt and most of the other items mentioned can lead to illness, such as lead poisoning or bowel blockage, or in rare cases, even death.
If you're having any strong cravings for non-food items, it's a good idea to talk to your physician or midwife. While this kind of craving does occur in healthy pregnant women, it's worth getting checked for any underlying physical or psychological problem. And just talking with your practitioner about these feelings may help you deal with them in a healthy way.
I had a friend who craved sand on her ice cream when she was pregnant. She never did it of course, but she always told me she wanted it!
WOW!! I have been craving dirt too. Again the smell of it! I have been craving it for like 2 weeks now and just told DH 2 days ago because I thought I was going crazy or something! I told him I don't want to pick it up and eat it or anything, I just want to be in it!
Im really glad to know that I am not the only one!!
Im really glad to know that I am not the only one!!
I was told on Friday that I have a form of Pica cravings....I dont crave dirt, or laundry soap though. I have this craving for ice, and can eat a 10 pound bag in about a day and a half. At first I thought it was due to iron because thats what everyone else was telling me. But it actually has nothing to do with iron, its just a form of pica. It is a harmless craving but it sure does hurt my teeth and my wallet lol, speaking up which....I could use another glass of ice ;)
Yeah I read that its normal to crave stuff like that. Even Cement...and other wierd stuff like that. Its because of the iron in it! lol Weird? I'd say so. I read that I was like wtf? I told my mom and she was surprised too haha.
I've heard of this before. It's due to a lack of iron. You should probably look into some iron supplements. go eat a big steak!
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