Talk to most women who have, at some point in their lives, been pregnant and the majority will likely have a story about some crazy craving they experienced that drove them up the wall. But for one mom, who is eight months pregnant, her food desire isn't a food at all, and it could be extremely dangerous both to her health and the health of her baby: she's addicted to eating rocks.
The 21-year-old mom-to-be from New York City, who is known only as Silvia, appeared on a YouTube program called My Extraordinary Pregnancy, where she confessed that she wants to eat rocks, and not pickles or potato chips. Despite the fact that her doctors have warned her that she could develop a disease or stomach problems from her bad habit, Silvia had this to say about her addiction:
"I feel really upset and dozy, ashamed, but I have to do it."
I sincerely hope Silvia's appearance on the program was her first step in getting help for this, despite this quote, which I admit, drove me a little bananas because it reads as if she is making excuses for her behavior, rather than trying to change it.
Although it isn't common, some women suffer from pica during pregnancy, which is defined by the American Pregnancy Association as the "craving of substances with little or no nutritional value." We often think of women with pica as those who eat dirt or clay, but rocks would certainly fall into that category.
While, again, I hope Silvia is getting help, we should go easy on her. Pregnancy is a time when a lot of women feel completely out of control, almost as if their bodies are taking over their minds and forcing them to eat foods they'd ordinarily never touch. In my case, I didn't crave anything specific with my second baby, but I would wake up at 3 a.m. and want to eat. I'd wake again at 5 a.m. and want to EAT. By the time I had my three-month doctor's appointment, I had gained more weight than was necessary at the time.
More from The Stir: Pica: When Pregnant Women Crave More Than Food
I felt ashamed and protested when my doc told me to slow down and trade carbs for protein so I'd feel more full and would eat less. "But this is what my body needs!" Well, no, this is just what my body wants. Huge difference.
We still have the power to control our bodies and cravings when we're pregnant, even though it doesn't always feel that way.
See this video on The Stir by CafeMom.
Did you have any crazy or dangerous cravings during pregnancy that you had to control?
Image via Duncan Green/Flickr