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anyone els have wierd cravings ??

I cant stop getting the pan scouser . Or pan sponges and chewing the ruf green part of it and spitting it back out. Its bit of an embarsing craving lol I have to go buy these just so I can chew them. Anyone else get any
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Avatar universal
I wanted chicken n i put cream cheese on it but you beat me by a land slide lol
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7140159 tn?1396530233
Yea, its for sure a concern, even though you dont swallow anything it still means theres something you and your baby are lacking and it could cause major problems. I hope the info was able to help. Keep us posted sweetie!
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Avatar universal
Thanks allot hun. I am going to speak to my midwife about this I dont swallow anything but Its deffo a concern by the looks if things
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7140159 tn?1396530233
Many women experience these somewhat odd flavor combinations throughout their pregnancies, and this is an entirely normal pregnancy symptom. However, if you begin to crave non-food items such as chalk, dirt, or clay you may be suffering from a disorder called pica. Pica is a compulsive eating disorder that can occur during pregnancy. Though not uncommon, pica can cause serious health complications for both you and your baby.

What is Pica?
Pica is an eating disorder that causes you to crave non-food items. Pica literally means "magpie," a bird that has undiscerning tastes. People affected by this disorder are compelled to eat things that are not generally intended for consumption. During pregnancy, some women develop cravings for these non-food items. If you have been experiencing cravings or have been eating non-nutritive items for more than a month, you could be suffering from pica.
Who Gets Pica?
The pica eating disorder is most commonly seen in children between the ages of two and three. In fact, it is believed that between 1% and 5% of children in the United States suffer from this eating disorder, though this number is probably greatly underreported. Pica is also very common among those with developmental disorders, such as autism. Though pica is rarely seen in healthy adults, some pregnant women do seem to develop the disease. Pica commonly occurs in pregnant women who are:

 

experiencing their first pregnancy
under the age of 20
have suffered from pica as a child
 

Symptoms of Pica
There is only one symptom of pica: persistent cravings for non-food items. If you have pica you may find yourself craving:

 

dirt
clay
laundry detergent
soap
hair
ice
cigarette ashes
 

Symptoms of pica usually appear in the first or second trimester of pregnancy, and persist for more than one month. Though symptoms tend to disappear after pregnancy, there is a chance that your pica cravings could continue after labor and delivery.

What Causes Pica?
There are no known causes of the pica eating disorder in pregnancy. However, there are a number of theories as to why the disorder may develop:

 

Nutritional Deficiency: Pica may be your body�s natural response to a nutritional depletion, such as iron deficiency. When your body becomes deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, it tries to get these minerals by causing you to have strange dietary cravings. However, not every person with pica has a nutritional deficiency.
Cultural Factors: Cultural factors do play a role in some cases of pica. Pica is accepted in some cultures as a way of increasing spirituality or treating certain physical illnesses, like morning sickness.
Psychological Reasons: Mental illness or psychological trauma can trigger pica in some people. Pica is often a hallmark of extreme stress, fear, or abuse.
 

Complications of Pica
Pica can result in a number of different health complications that could cause you serious harm. This is why it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible for your pica cravings. Complications include:

 

Lead Poisoning: Eating substances that contain lead, such as soil, clay, or paint, could lead to lead poisoning, which can seriously harm both you and your baby, and can even result in death.
Bowel Obstruction: Eating non-food items, especially rocks, hair, and dirt, can cause your bowel to become obstructed. This can lead to severe constipation, bowel inflammation, and infection.
Parasite Infection: Items from the earth, including clay, soil, and grass, can be home to parasites. When you ingest these items, parasites can then infect your gastrointestinal tract causing pain, weight loss, and other side effects.
Dental Injury: Your teeth were not made to process non-food items. Hard substances like rocks, clay, and ice can cause serious damage to your teeth, and you may experience broken and fractured teeth.
 

Effects of Pica on Your Baby
Unfortunately, pica cravings can cause serious harm to your baby. Eating non-food items can actually prevent your body from absorbing the proper minerals and nutrients. This could mean that your baby is not receiving the proper nutrition, increasing his risk for a variety of complications, including low birth weight, preterm labor, and stillbirth.

Treating Pica
If you are suffering from pica disorder or if you think that you may be experiencing some pica-like behaviors, it is important that you visit with your health care professional for proper pica treatment. She will make sure that you are not suffering from any physical complications. Further treatment will be recommended to help you to overcome future pica cravings. Common treatments include:

 

nutritional supplements
medications to control cravings, stress, or depression
psychological counseling
behavior therapy



Yours may not be as sever im just saying i remember reading about this.during my first pregnancy and couldnt remember the correct name or details of it, but its def caused by your body lacking something ao please make sure and talk to your doctor about it. Even though your not swallowing any of it it could get worse and you could statt craving other things like this or you could start having the urge to swallow it you know,either way let your doctor know so that they can figure out whay vitamins or whstever your lacking so they can help you and it doesnt affect the baby sweetie, good luck
Helpful - 0
7140159 tn?1396530233
Oh yea you def need to stop doing this sweetie. Talk to your doc about it immediatly bc i means you have a dedicency, some women crave rocks and chalk and laundry detergent when they are lacking that vitamin or smthing but its pretty dangerous. I remember reading about it in all my baby books, but i cant remember the specific details right now, i will look it up and see what i can find out but you def need to call your doctors office asap and let them know your craving that and need to be seen. Please make sure this is the only thing your chewing also. If you start craving other things let someone know so they can make sure and help you not slip up and ingest anything unedibel
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Avatar universal
You might be lacking a vitamin. When I went to WIC and I filled out the form it asks if I have any weird craving like that. I'm pretty sure that's what that means.
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