So there’s this rock, this rock that my husband brought back from a Spring Break trip to the Grand Canyon about 9 years ago. This stupid rock that is nothing too spectacular that he insists on hanging on to and hauling around with us as we’ve moved from place to place over the years. It’s actually part of a collection of not so spectacular rocks that I sort of despise, but *this* rock is different.
THIS rock…
Has taken over my fantasies lately. I quite literally daydream about this rock, this delicious looking, rounded but not perfectly smooth, porous, grainy, gritty rock.
It all started last week when I was doing laundry. As I took the clothes from the washer and put them in the dryer, the smell was so… mouthwatering… so appetizing… it smelled just like what I would imagine rocks in ice cold water tasting like. And I really, really, really wanted to lick my washing machine.
After that, it was all I could think about- finding the perfect rock(s) to put in ice water. What they would look like, how they would feel in my mouth. I would catch myself daydreaming about sucking the ice water out of the perfect rock, except I didn’t know where or how to get that perfect rock. That is until I eyed this old collection of not so spectacular rocks my husband has insisted on keeping around and the angels shone a light on the most delicious looking rock I’ve ever laid eyes on (I’m fairly certain that’s not an exaggeration). DIVINE INTERVENTION! No?
What I really want is honest to goodness ice cold water on the rocks. I want to enjoy this frosty beverage.
And then, like the blue cheese olives left over after a good martini, I want to suck on the rock.
Of course, I haven’t allowed myself… yet. I mean, I GET that this is weird. I get that something is up with me for me to be craving ROCKS.
At 33 weeks pregnant with Kendall I was craving normal things like ice cold pineapple, oranges, spicy pickles and cookies.
Photo Courtesy of Regetis Photography
If I were to take this photo today, I’d be surrounded by rocks, buckets of grout, chips of concrete and BBQ sandwiches.
To answer the questions I know you all are about to ask me, YES, I’ve talked to my midwife about it. No, she’s not worried about it. Yes, my iron is low. Yes, I’m taking an iron supplement. From what she and my nurse tell me (and many a twitter friend has, as well) this is not normal, but it’s common among pregnant women.
I haven’t gone so far as to indulge in that icy rock water, but I have to say, I don’t really know what it would hurt. I mean, I could wash the rock really well first, right? And it’s not like I’m going to eat the rock. I just want to suck on it and lick it. This is so odd, so, so, so odd. Â It’s okay. You can all point and laugh.
Kendall is 2.5 and I’m 33 weeks pregnant
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35 comments
oh what the heck, just scratch that itch and do it. Its not like you have a desire to eat dirt and metal shavings.
I totally agree with Bekah. Just do it! Water on the literal rocks can’t be that bad.
LOLOL Yes it is very odd. No I dont think it would hust to drink ice cold rock water – tho it might not actually taste as yummy as your body believes. Believe it or not these odd cravings occur when not prego too. Years ago I delt with this when I had a mineral deficiency – while not prego. I wonder if you are low on more than just iron.
they SELL rock ice cubes
http://www.amazon.com/Rocks-Whiskey-Stones-Set/dp/B002GZX2DE/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1288894126&sr=8-2
Those are really cool (no pun intended)!
I say just drink the rock water. You’re right – what could it hurt?! Just do it! I want the report back on whether it was delicious or not.
DO IT!
Girl, eat some meat. Seriously. Divulge in all the BBQ beef sandwiches you want.
I know you are trying to eat less meat–but it definitely sounds like you need the iron! Have you tried eating more tofu or soy? I think soy nuts have a decent amount of iron, you might consider snacking on them…
I know exactly how you feel, the entire last two trimesters of my pregnancy all I could think about was “floo powder” (the stuff they use in Harry Potter to travel through the chimneys), coarse sand, charcoal, dirt… I wanted to eat it SO BAD, I dreamed about it. I use to eat handfuls of dry rice crispies and close my eyes and pretend it was floo powder or sand.
Interestingly it completely went away right after I “gave birth”, phew!
…… that picture looks DELICIOUS!
I wrote about this exact same thing today- but for me it is chalk board dust. But every time you tweet about rocks in ice water I want that too. Everyone keeps telling me to eat more red meat- but meat still makes me unbelievably sick so…
This is related…I swear, so just keep reading:
I was reading a post on making homemade sauerkraut today. You have to weigh down the sauerkraut with a plate or a giant rock. You can use a rock right on the cabbage, actually touching the stuff you are going to eventually eat. All you have to do is boil it for a while first.
So, I don’t see why you couldn’t boil your rocks first, let them cool, then add them to your glass of water. What would the harm be?
Hoping that your pica passes soon!
dude, get the rock ice cube things (posted above) and go with it. i mean, they must make those things for a reason. and the whole “doesn’t water down your quality liquor” explanation? totally code for “pregnant ladies who want to lick rocks”.
Oh go ahead and suck the damn rock. It won’t hurt anyone.
My mom craved sand and dirt when she was pregnant with me… and McDonalds hamburgers… which typically she finds revolting. Our bodies are weird when we’re pregnant. All I wanted were pickles, perogies, watermelon and curry.
My sister is at week 33 too and having the same problem… iron deficiency = strange wierd cravings!! A little dirt never hurt anyone… why not? 😉 LOL
Honestly, give the rock a good washing with soap and water, pour yourself a glass of ice water with the rock on the bottom and drink it. It can’t hurt as long as you don’t actually attempt to eat the rock and perhaps it will work (placebo effect or otherwise) to scratch the itch!
I was so low on iron too. I had the shots plus the supplements. I lustfully eyed my plant dirt. I am not kidding. I say go for the cubes:)
I also sucked on those vitamin C capsules constantly. This post should be in what to expect when your expecting. Ah the joys.
I usually get that urge when it rains and the dirt is newly moist and sandy. I lick potatoes before washing them and the dirt is sooooooo yummy. I’ve also eaten spoonfuls of dirt before, after sterilizing it in my oven, of course.
That’s what I was thinking! Biting a dirty potato. Or, for the grout thing, make really sticky mashed potatoes (with not quite enough milk or butter in them) and that might be the right texture to give you that sensation.
My neighbor puts minerals in her pitchers of water – ya know, like those pieces of amythest, rose quartz, tigers-eye,etc. that you can buy at new age stores. The water tastes pretty good. She does use a filter though so the rocks don’t actually go into your glass – she doesn’t want anyone chipping a tooth.
My kid licks rocks all the time. I think you should give into your cravings and just lick and get it over with. As long as you don’t try & ground it up & eat it.
P.S. Are you taking maternity shots this time? If so I think it would be really cute to do one just like with Kendall and surround yourself with dirt & rocks. Memories…
I am with the others who say you should just do it!
I have not eaten beef since I was 17, and when I was pregnant with my son (who I didn’t know at the time was a boy) I would literally have an internal battle with myself about the desire to lick and chew on raw steak. NOW it grosses me out to no end, but THEN?!?!? THEN it looked like the most delicious thing ever!
It’s not like you’d be giving in to your craving on eating grout! And who hasn’t licked a rock? As a kid? Hell yeah. Everybody get odd cravings when preggers. When I was expecting my first I craved
greasy bar burgers every.single.day. And I hadn’t eaten read meat in over 10 years. Turns out I was iron deficient, which gave me a ‘medical’ reason for my indulgence. But, hell. You’re not chewing on a cow hoof.
I had a friend who really really craved chalk! After 3 days she finally gave in and took a bite. less than a second later she was spitting it out (she said it was so gross) and she was cured, for life!
LOL! Yeah, you’re definitely kind of weird right now… but here’s an idea… what if you washed that rock really well, then FROZE it and actually used it in place of the ice cubes in your water. Hmmm???
1. Definitely think you should take a maternity picture surrounded by BBQ and rocks.
2. Just lick the rock, why not right?
LOL. this cracks me up. Lick the rock.
This is kind of hilarious but I think you need to just do it!
That’s amazing. The way you described wanting it made me think for a second about the deliciousness of a rock. Keep us updated.
I stumbled upon this post from your latest post on having three kids … I used to work with a girl who craved chalk during your pregnancies. So the rock thing didn’t come as such a shocker to me. I’m on my second pregnancy and, this time around, it is MUCH MUCH more difficult than I remember it being. I don’t want to eat ANYTHING. I didn’t have any aversions with my first. Perhaps I should try ice water on the rocks.
[…] I want these things more than anything else. More than pickles or ice cream, more than pizza or french fries. Nothing sounds as good to eat as sand and chalk. I’d even settle for the shavings of a gritty rock… like the one I craved when I was pregnant with Leyna. […]
[…] Pica is an interesting phenomenon that can occur sometimes in pregnant women where they really, really want to eat things likerocks, grout, dirt, clay, paint – some intense sh*t. Check out BabyRabies in Water on the Rocks, A Pica Lust Story. […]
[…] those who aren’t up to speed on my rock eating habits, you can read more here and here. Basically, the last trimester of my 2nd pregnancy I craved rocks, and sand, and grout, and […]
[…] last pregnancy, except I already told the world that secret. Or maybe I’d tell you about how I eat rocks and sand when I’m pregnant? Except, no. Because that’s not a secret either. Uhmmm….. okay, I […]
I want to suck on a rock SO baaad! Freshly rained on rock. Mouth watering! Scrap the bumps on the back of my tongue! UGH! YUUUUM.
I’m not even iron deficient! Lol But the craving is intense. Brazil nuts are quite an earthy tasting nut and I find it’s a fairly good edible replacement for rocks. ?