Pregnancy Diary: Why I eat soap, yes really.

This is my fourth pregnancy and in the final few months of each one I have had the same cravings. Dove soap. Now before I start this tale of weirdness, let me tell you this

This is my fourth pregnancy and in the final few months of each one I have had the same cravings. Dove soap. Now before I start this tale of weirdness, let me tell you this post is not sponsored, I have received no free dove soap, but damn I have spent a lot of money on the stuff.

It started back 10 year ago in my first pregnancy, and the smell of the Dove Cream Bar soap was delicious, I started washing my hands furiously in it for up to half an hour a time, savouring the bubbly smell and feel. Then one day I decided to lick the bubbles off my hands, I have no idea why I done this, it was just an irresistible urge…and it tasted good.  It tasted so good that I was licking a lot of bubbles everyday. I went to the doctors and they explained that it does have a medical reason behind it, it’s called PICA craving, and happens when you have low iron levels. Despite being on iron supplements, it never seemed to subside.  I spent a small fortune on everything Dove scented, from the Cream bath to the Triple moisturising shower cream which lathered up lovely in the shower puff causing lots and lots of bubbles.  But when my baby was born, it just disappeared and normality returned.

When I got pregnant just a few years later it was no surprise when the familiar craving returned. Despite iron supplements again, I ended up licking and nibbling bars of Dove soap. Again when I was pregnant 6 years after that my Dove craving returned! And here I am again at 37 weeks pregnant and craving it all over again….

I am trying to be good and not nibbling the bars or soap, but I do keep an empty soap box with me to sniff at regular intervals to satisfy my craving for a few seconds. People look at me like I am odd, which probably isn’t far from the truth, but when you want something and your body wants it that bad, it’s hard not to cave in! I am bathing and washing in the stuff many many times a day!

20 thoughts on “Pregnancy Diary: Why I eat soap, yes really.

  1. clean inside and out!!. its weird what being pregnant does to you. Does dove soap contain iron in its bubbles, cos they say you usually crave something (coal or whatever) that contains what your short of.
    Mine was more normal ice lollies in January.

  2. clean inside and out!!. its weird what being pregnant does to you. Does dove soap contain iron in its bubbles, cos they say you usually crave something (coal or whatever) that contains what your short of.
    Mine was more normal ice lollies in January.

  3. I am also 37 weeks pregnant and before I found out I had low iron levels I craved dove soap too but I stopped myself from eating it! I also loved the smell of bleach antibac and cif bathroom spray! Strange what pregnancy does!

  4. im 34 wks and have been craving the smell of irish springs bath soap so bad i have to sleep with a bar and cary it with me. and every time i sniff it, my mouth starts to water. ive thought of eating it but havent. lol i thought i was the only one. this is my fourth baby and the very first time ive ever had anything besides food cravings!

    1. This was me during my first pregnancy, and now that I am 23 almost 24 weeks pregnant, the urge came back but I have no irish springs, but the dove cream body wash or whatever. I washed my hands with it then licked my hands and it was so satisfying. I’m now super tempted to go to the store to get my irish spring soap back, it’s not the same. Halp! Lol.

    2. I’m craving Irish spring too!! It’s so weird. I keep it inside the box and scratch and carve it to keep the smell intense. I’ve actually tried to eat it but it taste awful! Lol

  5. I’m glad I’m not the only one with those cravings of bar soap – Irish Spring I’ll lick it or a scrape it off

  6. I crave soap as well I’m 22 weeks pregnant but I have been told by doctors I need iron BC I’m always cold
    .. But licking soap is so good I swear

  7. Im so grateful to have found this. I seriously thought i was the only weird 30 week crazy craving expecting mom out there eating bar soap. I have tried limiting the amounts of nibbles i do on my coastal soap everyday, but OMG the smell just makes my tastebuds crazy and i end up nibbling my bar soap! I wish i can stop now, but its too good to letgo! ?

  8. I knew I wasn’t the only one that craves Irish spring soap I love the smell and the taste of it every time I go to the bathroom I grab the bar rinse it with water and lick it or scrap a little off so I can have a bit in my mouth to keep me from coming back to it so soon lol!! Im 32 weeks pregnant with twins go figure.

  9. I’m currently 31 weeks pregnant with my first and the intense craving for the smell and taste of soap is driving me crazy ?
    At first is was the powdery washing powder I couldn’t get enough of then it slowly switched to a bar of soap that I walk around with everywhere. I also don’t have the best iron levels, a tiny bit on the anemic side the doctor reckons…

    1. Oh it’s so overwhelming isn’t it, deffo neck some iron supplements, I found the vile tasting liquid spatone easier on the stomach but deffo not on the tastebuds haha!

  10. I am 32 weeks pregnant and im eating soap….i tried to stop but i cant….it relaxes me especially when i feel stressed out….im worried it might harm my baby….but if i dont eat it i feel like im going crazy….help…

  11. Iam 7 months pregnant with my 6 kid and I have ate Dial antibacterial soap with every pregnancy I can’t for the life of me not eat it once I crave it and the cravings stop after I deliver ??‍♀️ Very strange.

  12. I’m not pregnant and I eat dove soap. I just scraped a few shavings off the bar an ate it like I was chewing on a Minty.
    It started with the smell for me because I love Dove soap bar and the Dove deodorant which I’m obsessed with smelling. Then it started with the bubbles which I licked and now it’s the soap. Prior to that I used to sniff a lot of the Dove deodorant spray. Every time I sprayed under my arms I’d make sure my nose got a good whiff of it. I can’t help it

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