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What Causes Feeling To Eat Chalk During Pregnancy?
i am 32 weeks pregnant and really really want to eat chalk, i have been told this may be a lack of calcium in my diet, i have taken calcium tablets (chewable) and have not eaten any actual chalk but the need is still there! how can i stop this feeling without harming my baby i dont want to buy blackboard chalk, and dont want to OD on calcium either. please help..
Wed, 16 Sep 2015
Hello, and I hope I can help you today.
Pica, or weird cravings to eat things that are not food, is not uncommon in pregnancy. Common urges are to eat paint, pencils, ice, and chalk. We don't really know what causes these urges, but it has something to do with the hormones and may or not go away before the baby is born.
It is good you have substituted calcium for chalk, as chalk can be contaminated with things that can harm you and the Abby if ingested. You cannot consume too much calcium, it washes out in your urine of you eat too much, and it is helpful for both you and the baby. It may not take away your cravings, however, because their is no evidence that calcium deficiency actually causes pica for chalk.
So do not worry about still wanting to eat chalk, and if you have substituted calcium it is Ok and healthy for you to use as much as you want, but it may not help. This will all go away after the baby is born.
I hope this information was helpful to you.
Best wishes for the rest of the pregnancy,
Dr. Brown
Pica, or weird cravings to eat things that are not food, is not uncommon in pregnancy. Common urges are to eat paint, pencils, ice, and chalk. We don't really know what causes these urges, but it has something to do with the hormones and may or not go away before the baby is born.
It is good you have substituted calcium for chalk, as chalk can be contaminated with things that can harm you and the Abby if ingested. You cannot consume too much calcium, it washes out in your urine of you eat too much, and it is helpful for both you and the baby. It may not take away your cravings, however, because their is no evidence that calcium deficiency actually causes pica for chalk.
So do not worry about still wanting to eat chalk, and if you have substituted calcium it is Ok and healthy for you to use as much as you want, but it may not help. This will all go away after the baby is born.
I hope this information was helpful to you.
Best wishes for the rest of the pregnancy,
Dr. Brown
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