Silvia is eight months pregnant and is addicted to eating rocks.

She suffers from Pica syndrome, where the sufferer is addicted to eating substances such as dirt, paint or rocks.

Silvia spends a fair amount of time out of her day finding and eating rocks, knowing it could be harming her baby. But the syndrome means she can’t help it.

‘If I could trade with someone who eats sushi or pickles I would. When I see certain kinds of rock my mouth waters.


Silvia has to avoid places that have a lot of rocks otherwise she can’t help herself.’



‘I try not to go past construction sites because my system goes haywire and I wanna eat something.’

The risks have been explained to the expectant mum, such as the kinds of diseases and parasites she can ingest from eating unclean rocks. Not only that, they obviously fill up her stomach and can cause an obstruction.’

‘Obviously I need to stop. I’ve tried everything. I’ve tried eating corn starch, different candies with same consistency, nothing has helped.’

Her partner Estevan does what he can to stop her, but, much like a drug addict or alcoholic, Silvia has taken to hiding rocks all over the house.

‘I’ve had a lot of stomach pains from eating rocks, which is scary,’ she confesses. ‘I’m worried about mine and my baby’s health.’

‘It’s frustrating because what she consumes the baby consumes. You can’t digest rocks,’ says worried dad Estevan. ‘It’s not a joke. You get a rock stuck there, you’re in trouble.’

But during TLC’s My Extraordinary Pregnancy, Silvia experiences pain and is taken into hospital. The baby is underweight and it’s because instead of eating properly she has been eating rocks, and no nutrition is reaching the baby.

‘I got ringworm on my shoulder because of eating rocks,’ she says of the side effects of the rocks being so unclean.

In the last few weeks of pregnancy Silvia desperately tries to give up her addiction.

‘Right now there’s so much temptation because I’ve seen the perfect rocks. Even though I’m not eating them I’m craving them.’

She goes into labour as normal, but, as feared, her baby is born underweight.

‘I’m so excited he’s OK,’ she gushes. ‘He’s small but it could have been so much worse.’

My Extraordinary Pregnancy is on TLC Monday April 6 at 9pm.

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