Include specific column from related-models table - mysql

Question

Using Laravel 5.1: Given two related models, User and Item, with through table Item_User, how can I include a specific column from the through table, item_count using a with statement?
Item_User table:
Query:
$userGameProfile = User::with([
'items' => function($query) use ($profile_id) {
$query->with(['phrases'])->where('profile_id', '=', $profile_id);
}])->find($id);
Adding ->select('item_count') to this query only returns item count, and not the related item objects. Adding ->select('*') gets me the items and fields I want, but breaks the nested with(['phrases']) relationship I need to get related phrases to items.
I was told I should use withPivot, but I cannot find documentation or examples on how to use this.
Preferably, I'd like to add this to the relationship, rather than each query.
Models:
User:
public function items()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(Item::class, 'user_item');
}
Item:
public function users()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(User::class, 'user_item');
}
public function phrases()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(Phrase::class, 'item_phrase');
}
Phrase:
public function items()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(Item::class, 'item_phrase');
}

Answer 1

This article highlights how to include additional information from the pivot table.
In User model, I know I will always want to include item_count from user_items pivot table, so you can add withPivot to the relation to items:
public function items()
{
return $this->belongsToMany(Item::class, 'user_item')
->withPivot('item_count');
}
User now comes back with items and pivot data: