PICA (xpost)

MrsWP

Before I got pregnant I never ate meat... but since I've been pregnant I've been trying to get  a serving or two in every week for protein's sake.  However, I  REALLY hate red meat.   So when the doc told me at my last appointment that my iron was low.. I really wasn't surprised.

Recently, I've been eating Ice Chips ALL day long... I love them... If they aren't available to me I crave them terribly.. I've been thinking that this was a sign of dehydration maybe.. (but I specifically like the ice chips that the Fridge dispenses as opposed to ones you could get running through a drive through because the fridge ones have a little bit of a musty taste/smell to them)

This week it got really warm here so I turned the AC on in the car, It had that musty -hasn't-been-used-for-a-while  smell and when I smelled it, i loved the smell and my mouth started watering.. A friend of mine laughed at me when I told him this and told me his aunt craved coal while pregnant...  NOW everytime I turn on the AC and smell that, I think about coal and my mouth waters... I usually quench the craving with ice chips.

Last night I was talking to a friend and she told me that those cravings sound like PICA... So I google (yeah... I know I shouldn't google... but we all do it)  and she's right... AND it tends to stem from Iron defficiency..  
My doc told me that my iron wasn't low enough for a supplement, that I just needed to get more iron into my diet... But now I'm wondering if it's gotten worse..  I have an appointment on Tuesday but I'm wondering if I should call now and talk to them or if I can just wait till then... I haven't eaten any non-food items.. but I have craved them...
Anyone deal with this before or have suggestions?   Can this hurt the baby even if I don't eat the stuff I'm craving?

 

lindsayandjamie

Pica can't hurt the baby unless you are eating non-food items. Please call your doctor if you are going to give in and eat something other than ice before your appt.