My weirdest pregnancy symptom...it's returning!

[Julia24]

OMG! I had the STRANGEST pregnancy symptom while pregnant with Grace - I absolutely LIVED for the smell of chemicals! How gross/dangerous is that?

I took to cleaning the house every day and painting anything I could think of because I just enjoyed smelling those smells - drive right behind the guy leaking gas exhaust - hang out in the gas station - ammonia from window cleaner - LOVED it!

And right now, I'm sitting here, inhaling deeply, hoping to smell the cleanser I just used on the kitchen table awhile ago. (thankfully, it's just method stuff now - we've gotten rid of most of our heavy chemicals since the last pregnancy)....that or the (gulp) ammonia from the dirty cloth diapers that are in my laundry room about 15 feet away.

Am I the only pregnant person in the world with this symptom? SO WEIRD!!!

Oh - and I'm ice chewing again....had that one with the last kid too!

[BekahMomToOliver]

No suggestions, but I wonder if that would be classified as a form of pica? The ice chewing I can relate to... I am soooo thirsty ALL the time, and water doesn't do it, it HAS to be ice. It gets worse when I'm breastfeeding too, I keep a huuuuge glass of it next to me with just a teeny bit of juice in it 24/7.

Anyway, maybe menton the chemicals thing to your Dr or MW... they may have seen it before and have some suggestions.
Good luck!

[octobermoon]

pica - that's the first thing i thought of....maybe you are lacking some vitamin/mineral/nutrient?????

[Julia24]

yeah - I know the ice chewing is indicative of that. I just have to fight myself away from the stuff (chemical smells). I mean, jeez - I don't color my hair for 9 months, practically - I can't go snorting permanent markers, yk? I've been embarrassed to even acknowledge it, honestly

[Auroara Bobcat]

yes

YES!YES!YES! I LOve those smells too. I do however stay away from them other then the occasional sniff when around santitizers and gas and stuff.

But let me share a secret with you; for the last couple of months I have been addicted to my bottle of Tea Tree essential oil. I pretty much always have it on hand and relish in it's aroma about 3 times a day. I am almost certain that it is not bad for you or the baby. It keeps me away from the heavy chemicals. I would recommend trying it out.

[lmclanahan]

I have had this for two of my pregnancies. At one point in my 3rd pg, I was driving to the convenience store 2 times a day to get big cups of free ice, lol. Dragging two other kids.
With my three year old, I would hang out in the soap or detergent aisle. I had a Yankee candle in my purse that smelled like laundry. My kids were like,"STOP SNIFFING THE SOAP, MOM!!!" when we went to the store, lol. I kept a dryer sheet in my bra for a quick fix.
I actually kept slivers of one kind of soap around for weeks, to sniff them. The smell of gas and exhaust made me feel like I was going to swoon, lol.
Soap actually made me high once, right in Target! I felt like I was high!
I have not had this yet this time, and I am not sure why. My iron was always fine with the others. Hmm. I do take Rainbow vitamins now, and extra B vits, Calcium and Magnesium. Maybe I *was* lacking something. Sniff... I miss my pica days, lol.
I read a post once where a woman wrote that at work she had a cardboard box on her desk and she just wanted to eat it, lol.

Leocea

[KayleeZoo]

I have to consciously step away from my vehicle when I'm putting gas in it because I'll stand there all day long, breathing deeply to smell all of the gasoline fumes that I can. Only when pg, though. Glad you guys are weird, too

[~Laura~]

OMG, I totally have this too! I get it every time (or at least with the last three). It's so odd because I HATE cleaning (yay for the best cleaning lady in the whole world!), but I find myself cleaning just so I can get the smell. I do my best to go all natural. But yeah, it's so odd to me - though I can't help it! That and I get extra obsessive about brushing my teeth.

Laura

[holyhelianthus]

Oh me too!! I actually sent my DH out to buy a huge bottle of Pine Sol a week or so ago. :

Also I am weirdly obsessed with brushing my teeth with the Arm 'n Hammer baking soda tooth paste. I do it like 3 or 4 times a day.

[holyhelianthus]

I just realized I DDC crashed. My bad!

[lava]

ice chewing

At least two of you above mentioned ice chewing--FYI that's often a sign of anemia in pregnancy (strange but true--speaking from experience!), so please mention to your provider and get your hemoglobin checked. Or at least start eating lots of spinach and stuff
-lava

[Auroara Bobcat]

I also have the tooth brushing obsession. I have a very strict routine that lasts for about 12 mins. It feels so good through. And when I am done I rinse with diluted Tee Tree Oil. Mmmmmm. I am off to brush my teeth.

[Julia24]

funny - I do NOT have the tooth brushing thing. At least it's only temporary, right? I'll ask my Dr. this week when I'm there, but I don't know that there's anything that really works except self-restraint, yk?