Why do I want to chew sponges?

[Kaleidoscope]

I can't stop thinking about sponges!!! It is so embarrassing!

I have to kitchen sponges in the bathroom which I squirt with bathroom cleaner and then I scrub the sink indulging in the smell, the sound and the touch. I do it a few times a day at least. Then there's my bath sponge and today I bit it to have my jollies of the feel on my teeth. Then I soak it in water and lather it up which comforts me! I'm in bed right now wanting sponge! I've been like it since week 33! Never been bothered by sponges in the past. Why am I having this kinaesthetic craving? I don't want ingest them but instead satisfy my senses!

I feel embarrassed to admit it but would love to find out why it's happening!

Anyone having unusual non food cravings/obsessions?

[Skyblueboston]

Hiya, you have a condition called pica, meaning the want to eat non edible objects.

Some docs believe its to o with iron deficiency or some sort of nutrition that is needed by the body, hence some people eat clay and chalk!

Or docs say it a response to stress for example a lathered up sponge is soft and comforting hence why you may crave the touch of the sponge.

If this has been going on for a month talk to a doc to get bloods taken to heck your nutrion levels.

Otherwise it's just another strange pregnancy thing!

Xxx

[Kaleidoscope]

Hello! :o)

Fascinating! I don't want to swallow the sponge so perhaps it is for comfort.

The decorating hadn't been done till I did it recently and that made me very anxious and it was cleaning the walls with a sponge and sugar soap water that set it off when I was finishing the prep. Not having a name for squiggly is stressing me out too (my partner doesn't like any names I suggest, and hasn't got time to sit and come up with many suggestions of his own, frankly we have opposing tastes for names) Perhaps I'm getting comfort/reassurance from the sponges as it's immediate and accessible. I didn't think to connect stress management with the sponge. Absolutely fascinating! Thanks for helping me join the dots skyblueboston! xxxx

[Skyblueboston in reply to Kaleidoscope]

That's ok Hun, in regards to names pin your hubby down lol, or get some pink and blue paper write the names down that you like, pin them all over the house, like on mirrors so when he is doing he morning or evening routine he has no choice but to look at them! Tell him he can take a few down that he doesn't like, then hope fully you will be left with a few!

Or if you make his lunch for him put a new name in his lunchbox everyday

[Littlebill]

You are not alone, a very good friend of mine did the same.

[Hidden]

my friend used to chew the edge of her towel when pregnant she just had a really bad urge to do it , it stopped after she had the baby, chew away if it makes u feel better

[LunaD]

My currently pregnant friend has a thing for Dove soap where she can't stop using it and has been occasionally biting into a bar of it!

[cheekymonkey3791 in reply to LunaD]

eww no, soap in the mouth, that cannot be nice

[cheekymonkey3791]

Your opening line intrigued me! Its definately not a Pica thing unless you do want to actually swallow it. Who knows why these things happen, so long as its not harming you then who cares eh, I am sure it will pass It could be a comfort thing like you say but again, i wouldn't worry about it...hey...its just your thing and something you can laugh about in times to come and tell your baby X

[Hidden]

I have been chewing on spunges since my early teens but I never swollow them. I also prefer certain ones. I wasn't pregnant then and haven't been yet. I just love the feeling of it in my mouth.

[Shellzvi in reply to Hidden]

This is the issue I have it’s certain sponges and I don’t swallow them but I chew it and roll it in my mouth I crave it to do that. It did start with my last pregnancy 17 years ago and I haven’t been able to stop since

[LenaColadaa in reply to Shellzvi]

I started chewing loofahs when I was pregnant with my now 11 year old. I never wanted to swallow/eat them, just chew. The fresh scent of soap and the way it feels between my teeth is extremely comforting. After I had my son, it went away .. Last year the desire came back .. Along with Grave’s Disease .. Not sure if that’s the reason my urg returned

[Bronzebaby]

I'm 43 and have had a sponge craving for years! Similar things I would Chew on were stockings/knee hi's. The culprit is IRON DEFICIENCY. Start taking an iron supplement and the craving goes away completely. * The best sponges are from Dollar Tree 😁.

[Halo18]

I have the same problem but I'm not pregnant I'm 20 and my best experience is after washing the dishes using specifically dawn dish soap. I've tried it with other soaps and it's not as satisfying. I rinse it out thoroughly and chew and suck the water out of it. I'm embarrassed to tell my family though but my little brother shares this interest with me...

[Hellohello09]

Heyyy your not alone I get sponge cravings all the time except I started freezing them a few weeks ago and I like it even more, I lather them up then rinse it out to make sure there isn’t any soap left, the reason I lather them up is so the scent will stay in the sponge because I’ve always liked to sniff cleaning supplies and it’s comforting, my closest friends know and they support me by buying me spounges, my fav are dish spounges suprisingly it’s nothing new if you go on YouTube and search “frozen spounge eating” a lot of vids will pop up idk what this is but ur not alone

[Hidden in reply to Hellohello09]

Original post here is 6 years old x

[grannymartha]

I honestly have the same issue. I crave chewing sponges. I admire squishing them and watching the juice come out. I don't think anything can stop me and my love for sponges.

[Xxssess in reply to grannymartha]

It's not pica desire. It's crave for balance in your surroundings. Something you can not fix is a hazard and is surrounding you. Your body wants to balance your body and want you to built strength to "physically" endure all these hazards because it can't separate narcissistic people, bad air quality, illegal activities around you or stressful situations from predators and danger. There is an Under Armour "bite" that is to balance the body strength for weightlifting. It's what your body is trying to do. Desperately trying to make you build yourself some mass to fight against the hazards around you literally.

[MiaOne]

Hello! I have chewing sponges off and on for years! It started with my first pregnancy and now she's 30! There's a certain kind of sponge I literally crave and if I see it in the stores my mouth waters for it! It's so weird! #youarenotalone

[Shellzvi in reply to MiaOne]

Omg it feels so good to know I’m not the only one

[Hidden]

I’m reading many of the replies and I agree you may have a condition known as pica.

I understand you. I love cleaning with sponges and washing cars with them and chewing them! I love the smell of a hot damp sponge and at first I thought it was because I love baths and bathing products until I started craving eating them.

I also remember wanting to chew on Velcro and watch straps just because of they way it felt on my tongue.

It’s a strange world we live in!