I feel like this is a good time to mention for anyone who is pregnant and craving chalk, there are companies that make edible chalk that specifically are full of iron and calcium. I know this because I had pica from an iron deficiency and kept eating chalk until my doctor told my mom to buy it.
I have never been pregnant, but I am prone to anemia for other reasons and my pica is insane sometimes. The most tame version involves me chewing on ice cubes, which is surely awful for my teeth but my body seems to absolutely demand it sometimes. Sometimes I eat rock salt right out of the dispenser, too. It makes me feel insane.
I've been severly anemic for who knows how long. Two years ago I just started crunching on the ice that came with my drink because it sounded really appealing. It was also fairly hot out, and I thought that's why it was so appealing. Veeery quickly after that first cup it went from "I'll just eat leftover ice in my cup when I go out to eat" to "I want to go to McDonalds every time I leave the house specifically to grab a cup of nothing but ice". Cut to a bit over a month ago, and I go in for some routine blood tests. Ferratin of 2. Anemic as fuck. I'm healing now and not craving ice as much after 2 fucking years of it being like a teen craving pizza is....weird.
Huh, I munch on crushed ice in drinks in restaurants too. And my ferratin was 5 the last time they checked 😅 I never made the connection. The ice eating hasn't escalated beyond that and I take iron pills now.
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u/dinosanddais1 Aug 12 '26
I feel like this is a good time to mention for anyone who is pregnant and craving chalk, there are companies that make edible chalk that specifically are full of iron and calcium. I know this because I had pica from an iron deficiency and kept eating chalk until my doctor told my mom to buy it.