Pregnant Woman Gives In to Baffling Craving: 'So Real'

At nine weeks pregnant, Mallorie Paulina woke up from a nap with a sudden urge to eat a four-ingredient snack.

The expecting mom didn't realize that this was going to be her new obsession until she couldn't stomach it anymore. The 30-year-old, from Boca Raton, Florida, racked up more than 1.6 million views on a TikTok video of herself (@malpaulina) spreading cream cheese onto a rice cake, topped with capers and turkey bacon.

Paulina told Newsweek: "For three days straight, it was my breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then I continued making it once a day for about a week."

She added: "When I hit 11 weeks, I couldn't even think about this meal without gagging." At the time of writing, the video captioned, "The food aversions were strong, but the foods I tolerated were questionable," has over 108,000 likes.

A study published by the National Library of Medicine found an estimated 50 to 90 percent of U.S. women experience cravings for specific foods during pregnancy, which typically emerge by the end of the first trimester. Among a sample of 400 adult women, about 76 percent reported craving at least one food item by the 13th week of pregnancy.

Paulina, an interior designer, was baffled by the craving that she suddenly woke up with. She told Newsweek: "It must have come to me in a dream as I opened my eyes, looked at my husband, and said, 'I need rice cakes, cream cheese, capers, and turkey bacon.'

"He looked at me like I was insane. But he still ran right to the grocery store to get me what I needed."

Paulina added that some people suggested putting it on a bagel. However, it wasn't just the taste she craved but the texture too.

"A bagel wouldn't have been the same; you need the rice cake for the crunch!" she said.

Now 28 weeks pregnant and entering the third trimester, Paulina's cravings are in the past and she is now eating a balanced diet.

However, the same can't be said for some moms who have shared their bizarre cravings in the comment section.

One user wrote: "It's okay I craved laundry detergent my entire pregnancy."

"Boiled potatoes with orange juice... Ate it for 3 weeks," posted another.

A third commenter added: "I craved dirt. like had dreams about eating it. Turns out I was anemic."

A fourth user commented: "My pregnancy cravings were normal. I had ONE [weird] one and never acted on it cause I knew I'd probs puke. Cookie dough and salsa..."

"[You] are so real for the capers," wrote a fifth.

While it can be hard to stick to a healthy diet while pregnant, it's crucial. Newsweek previously shared an article highlighting six foods you should consume during pregnancy.

If you have a family dilemma, let us know via life@newsweek.com. We can ask experts for advice, and your story could be featured on Newsweek.