• is eating dirt normal?When you are pregnant you often become accustomed to craving all sorts of strange foods, or combinations of foods. You may even crave foods that you normally don’t enjoy while pregnant. We have all heard about pregnant women wanting to eat pickles and ice cream at the same time.

    Thankfully that makes me gag while pregnant, as well as when I am not pregnant. Pregnancy cravings really are the most bizarre things ever. Even more bizarre is when your body begins to crave things that are not food. This strange occurrence is called pica. It’s not hugely common, but it’s also good to know what to do if you find yourself craving dirt, or paint, or soap, or any other strange thing that isn’t food. If you find yourself craving odd nonfood items it is important to remember that no matter how much you want it, these things are not good for you to eat. Please do not eat them!

    Talk to your doctor so that she can test for an iron-deficient anemia.

    Eating of some nonfood items can not only hurt you but your unborn child as well. The cause for pica is still generally unclear but sometimes can go hand in hand with iron deficiency. Talk to your doctor so that she can test for an iron-deficient anemia. Most of the strange things you can crave are of course, not high in iron, but for some reason pica can be associated with an iron deficiency. However, just because you are craving these odd things it doesn’t always mean that you have any deficiency at all.

    Pica can also occur in absolutely perfect pregnancies. So there is no reason to panic! Just consider it another one of those strange joys of pregnancy that is inexplicable and just a little gross at the same time.