inexpensive pregnancy must-haves

This current womb resident isn't giving any indication of his/her early check-out. And I'm looking at another couple weeks of "intense pelvic pressure." Woop!

This baby has been sitting lower, and for longer, than either of the boys did, and staying comfortable has been both essential and somewhat elusive. But just because this pregnancy has been harder doesn't mean I've had extra money to spend surviving it (hello, new-to-us minivan!). So, I submit my picks for staying comfortable (or as comfortable as possible) on the cheap for nine months.

pillow, water, CeraVe, La Croix, quilt, leggings

1. Comfort for sleep

I truly wish I could buy one of those huge, horseshoe-shaped pregnancy pillows. Really I do. But I have:
- a queen size bed, and
- a regular size husband
and I just don't think it'd fit.

But, I'm able to get pretty darn comfortable with:
- a super-firm decorative rectangular pillow, and 

- a quilted throw.
Between the two of them, I have plenty of options for both soft and firm support, either behind my back or between my knees. They're infinitely adjustable, washable and (super importantly) easily transitioned back to home use after baby arrives. 

2. Comfort for the couch

Pet peeve: having to get up 6 dozen times during the boys' naptime/my rest time to refill my little standard-size water bottle. I now buy cases of the big Arrowhead flip-top bottles (23 oz) at Costco and have cut my trips to the watering hole in half. 

3. Comfort for skin

In addition to making me a raving, sweating lunatic, summer gave me a nice case of painful heat rash on my legs that lasted for months. My dermatologist prescribed a few prescriptions that helped, but on top of that, he recommended buying a tub of CeraVe and applying it over the prescriptions.

Oh man. That stuff. Thick, non-fragranced goodness that not only helped my rash disappear, but gave me the softest skin I've EVER had. Get a tub and use it for 6 months, easy. And cheap. 

4. Comfort for queasiness

For my first two pregnancies, a large Sprite or root beer from McDonalds helped keep the queasies at bay. But why stop at a large Sprite when a large french fry would go along so nicely? $3 and three hours of heartburn later... ugh. A friend introduced me to La Croix sparkling water recently, and I promptly fell in love (and quit the McD trips).

Disclaimer: No sweeteners (either artificial or caloric) takes some getting used to. I'm pretty sure my sister thinks it tastes like foot. Guess it depends on your tolerance for... foot. 

5. Comfort for the waistband

I hate pregnancy pants. I hate belly panels. I HATE TUCKING STUFF INTO PREGNANCY PANTS/BELLY PANELS in the hopes of keeping them up. 

I bought two pairs of Old Navy maternity leggings. No panels, no tucking shirts into them, no constantly trying to pull them up.

I wear a pair nearly every day.

I am a nicer person for it. 

Those are my cheap pregnancy lifesavers. What are yours? What cheap, pregnancy-nirvana products am I missing? Or, what should I really be spending the money on, since it's worth it? Tell me, please. Then peruse the other offerings at Call Her Happy!