Eating ice...

[monocyte]

Wondering if anyone else is doing it...I cant seem to stop. If I'm home, Im chomping on ice.

I've got some serious pica issues, and I suddenly realized that I probably have an iron issue going on. I haven't taken any prenatals in months, they make me sick : I eat well, but, I don't think its good enough...

Suggestions?

[mommybytheWord]

I'm eatin it right now!! I have been for a week and will till the day babe is born. I always eat ice at the end of my pregnancies. Don't know why, I just do. Kwik-Trip has the best ice!!!!!! They give it free to DH everyday on his way home from work for me!


I have great Iron levels too! I just like ice. Hope it don't hurt my teeth!

[Mom2ManyBlessings]

I eat ice even when I'm NOT pg. So does DH! I love the chipped ice they have at the hospital. Just the perfect consistency. I may have to try Kwik Trip, though... Gotta love me some good crunchy ice...

[Mama Bear]

OMG - how funny! I was just coming to post about the same thing!!!

For the past week or so, I have become obsessed with chewing on ice. Its really odd for me b/c I have very sensitive teeth usually to cold things - but apparently not anymore.
I have my own ice cube tray that I fill up very little, so its like little ice chips. I never had this with my first pregnancy. Too funny!

[yogachick79]

Yup, a 33 oz cup daily at work and more at home. I make DH pick it up from the grocery store in bags because it is easier to crunch than the cubes. I agree, the hospital ice is the BEST!

Oh, I too have pica issues, but also run very anemic during each pregnancy. I take Floradix Iron and Herbs, it's liquid and you mix a tiny bit with oj twice a day and you get a ton of iron, b vits, etc. I can't take my prenatals and haven't in a long time because of the way that they make me feel. This stuff actually makes me feel BETTER though. Which reminds me I am due for my second "dose" now. It's at HFS or homeopathic places. A month supply is around $25.

Oh a tip... If you have a health savings account and your midwife/ob writes that you take it for pregnancy needs, you can get it reimbursed even though its not a prescription

[monocyte]

Originally Posted by yogachick79

I take Floradix Iron and Herbs, it's liquid and you mix a tiny bit with oj twice a day and you get a ton of iron, b vits, etc.

I have some of this, but its probably old now....I was very anemic after DS, and it worked great when I did take it - but, its sooo, nasty!! UCK!!

Don't they make pills now? I need to go looking. Seriously, I can smell/taste it a mile away.

[Mama Bear]

that's interesting...I've got low iron/anemia and am also taking Floradix (love that stuff!) I actually take the Floravital (yeast and gluten free version - maybe it tastes better than the original? I take it straight up.). It is only good for 30 days in the fridge.

Found this on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pagophagia

[gcgirl]

OMG. How coincidental. I was thinking of posting how I'm craving the smell and feel of sunbaked rocks and dirt right now, and wondering if it's related to my mild iron deficiency. I don't feel like actually *eating* dirt yet, but I just want to find a big pile of sunbaked rocks or a big patch of rich, sunbaked dirt and just roll around in it. I can't stop thinking about it.

[Googy]

Wanting to eat non-food items is a condition called pica, which is actually not uncommon during pregnancy. Doctors don't really know what causes it, though some do theorize that it may be due to iron deficiency. Dirt, clay, and laundry starch are the most common pica cravings. So, gcgirl, you may possibly be developing this.

Monocyte, the ice crunching can just be a sensory thing, but some also feel that it is a sign of iron deficiency.

For both of you I would second/third the Floradix Iron + Herbs suggestion. It is like the midwife's trade secret. It will skyrocket your iron up and won't constipate you at all. The liquid is far more digestable than the pills, so even though the liquid is nasty its worth taking (I chug it and then grink a glass of grapefruit juice without breathing in between). Its really expensive (at my natural foods store a months' supply (really big bottle) is $40). However, I've been taking it for a few months and feel awesome. I'm really happy with it.

Being anemic can significantly increase your chances of bleeding problems during labor, so in my mind the expense of the Floradix is worth it to minimize that risk.

[monocyte]

Originally Posted by Mama Bear

It is only good for 30 days in the fridge.
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:

Ok, so I just cleaned my fridge...it was old. And it was next to the soy sauce from that era as well.

[monocyte]

Originally Posted by gcgirl

OMG. How coincidental. I was thinking of posting how I'm craving the smell and feel of sunbaked rocks and dirt right now, and wondering if it's related to my mild iron deficiency. I don't feel like actually *eating* dirt yet, but I just want to find a big pile of sunbaked rocks or a big patch of rich, sunbaked dirt and just roll around in it. I can't stop thinking about it.

Ok, totally weird. A couple times this week I took DS for a walk to the beach just so I could play in the sand, feel in in my hands, feet etc. Its not unusual for us to go to the beach, but, I had to drag him once last week. Not sure if its just a weird sort of craving, but I def was strongly moved to go there...

[sorteep]

Try Floradix liquid iron and herbs and try a stand alone methylcobalamin (active B12) , that should cover you for iron issues

I bet compulsive ice chewing is also a halmark sign for a classic homeopeathic constitutional remedy... could be worth looking into...

[mothragirl]

crunching ice here too, it is making my teeth hurt
i get smell cravings, i did last time too. hot rocks, asphalt, garages, windex, diesel exhaust. it makes my mouth water to think about smelling them. i've been taking a ton of iron and B vits.

[tiffanymm]

OMG, I am totally chomping on ice right now.

[yogachick79]

OMG Mothragirl, I totally feel you on the smells. It's bad : for me it's things like paint, harsh cleaners, nail polish and remover, things like that. So I am not allowed anywhere near them because I would honestly just stand there and bask in the smell. No desire to eat them at all, but the smells are almost orgasmic for me, honestly... Had it with each of my pregnancies. Thank god for natural cleaning products because with DS I was banned from cleaning because I went out and bought about 15 different types of Mr. Clean and counter sprays before DH caught me and tossed them all...

[Hezzy]

I can't stand the smell of cleaning products - at least the lysol they use in the bathroom at work is awful. But I have this new face scrub that smells like walnut shells and dirt and I LOVE the way it smells. Weird.

[yogachick79]

Hezzy, lysol is the WORST But give me Mr. Clean or a good floor scrubbing solution any day.

[monocyte]

Laura (sorteep) - I looked more into methylcobalamin, and I think you've totally got it!!

It said that b12 def can be caused by excessive/long term use of acid blockers...well, I've had stomach issues since week 5 of this preg when I was in the hospital with the nastiest stomach bug (lost a twin, had all sorts of issues while there that only got worse when the m/s kicked in.) SO..I've been on meds (zantac now - but reglan, protonix, etc) since being discharged. Once this baby's out, I've got to go for extensive testing to see how much damage was done to my stomach, esophagus, etc.

I've got an appointment Monday with my mw...but, Im going to start both today.

Thanks!!

[yogachick79]

When I was preg with DS, I had B-12 injections done weekly through the docs office that I worked for. Never felt better, I SO wish I had access to it again. Can't give the shots to myself though, even though I am trained on it. Giving them to others, no problem, getting them from others, no problem. Just no way I can do it myself...

[StacieM]

Not me, but I remember DH's Aunty saying that she ate TONS of ice two pgs ago (when we were both pg with #4) now she is pg with #6 (a few weeks ahead of me) and I'm wondering if she's still eating tons of ice.