esmeonline

We have the Uppababy Cruz, 2015 model. We bought the first one around June/July last year and approximately 3-4 months later the wheels failed, in the style of a faulty shopping trolley. It was really difficult to use the buggy and the jamming of wheels occasionally occurred when getting off public transport, which was a bit alarming. It also really hurt my wrists and elbows and exacerbated the carpel tunnel syndrome I'd started to suffer in pregnancy. John Lewis said they had been made aware of a fault with the wheels of this model, so initially just replaced them but it was obvious that this didn't rectify matters - I was almost dragging the pushchair across the shop floor - and so they promptly replaced the whole pushchair. I've been told some other people just had wheels successfully replaced. The new, replacement pushchair has now, 8 months on, failed in the same manner and I am due a second replacement this week. Although I've been given slightly different messages from various members of John Lewis/Uppababy, ultimately it seems that there is an issue with some of the Cruz 2015 and it's pot luck as to whether yours is affected or not. A good friend of mine bought one, loves it and has had no problems. Aside from the inconvenience (and the environmental impact of getting through three pushchairs for just one baby!) we really like the Cruz. It's robust but relatively compact, we make use of the different recline/upright positions the seat goes into, it's a good height (we didn't want my son to be too low to the ground, near to exhaust fumes etc) it is fine over rugged terrain (I do quite a lot of walking) and overall the quality feels good. If you feel inclined towards buying the Cruz, knowing that some pushchairs have this design flaw, then I'd recommend buying from somewhere with reliable customer service, like John Lewis, so that in the event that you have a problem you can be sure you'll have a remedy.

Hi Sarah, My son had 'acne' spots all over his face at about the same age. I was reassured that it was common, especially in boys, that it possibly relates to the mother's hormones in the baby's system and that it would clear - which it did, completely and without scarring. We were very careful not to touch it or pick at it in any way. The only thing I would add however is that your description doesn't really match with the way my son's skin looked - it just looked like teenage spots and there was no fading away during the day - so it may be worth seeking out a second opinion.

David Godden is likely to be able to help- builder specializing in structural work. Well recommended here on the forum and did a lot of good work for us. I think he has a surveyor he recommends if he thinks that's needed. You might get more responses / help if you post this in another section of the forum, lots of people will have been in your situation. Hope it's sorted quickly, good luck.

We put a DeVol kitchen into our old house and I loved it. We decided to sell up once we'd finished renovating and the kitchen was one of the things I was sad to leave behind. The customer service was excellent from start to finish, we were very pleased with the plans (they put together 4 or 5 variations) the fitters were top notch, the cabinetry quality was great and it all looked beautiful. It wasn't a budget option but it wasn't extortionate either and we certainly felt we got value for money. We made a couple of trips to their beautiful showroom in Loughborough but they have since opened up a shop in Clerkenwell so you wouldn't need to travel now.

Just in case it's useful to anyone - we have recently had help from the humane deterrence service, Fox-a-Gon http://fox-a-gon.co.uk to move on a fox that was taking over our ground floor balcony as its territory. They were recommended by the Fox Project http://www.foxproject.org.uk and were outstanding from the first point of contact.

Thanks a lot Fuchsia. Sorry for the delay in replying. I've seen one dentist since I posted but I'm just in the process of arranging to see Katherine for a second opinion. Thanks again, I really appreciate the help.

I'm six months pregnant and overnight my teeth appear to have moved. I can only see a very slight change but I can't floss between some teeth and my bite is very off, making it difficult to eat and talk. Can anyone suggest a dentist? I was with Shaun on Townley Rd but understand he has left. I wondered if anyone had a good recommendation or knew of a dentist with expertise in dental problems during pregnancy. I've just got over severe pelvic pain and pregnancy related acne, so really just feel like crying right now? Thanks everyone.

Hi Saffron, I've just tried to find it but can't, which is annoying, sorry. It was a one-liner in an article intended to address people's anxieties about chlorine. The author just wrote that chlorinated pools were safe and that non-chlorinated waters posed far more of a health risk. It wasn't at all substantiated and I didn't know if they meant fresh water or chlorine alternatives, so I did a search (mistake!) and pulled up a list of results that included the words dysentery, blindness and lawsuits!! That's when I decided to stop googling and to ask on the forum instead! The only thing is that while trying to find the original reference I've come across this article which says UV and Ozone alternatives should be used in conjunction with a small amount of chlorine to meet appropriate safety levels. http://goodspaguide.co.uk/features/are-swimming-pools-without-chlorine-better-for-you#3 The pool I'm going to appears to be entirely chlorine free. I have my lesson tomorrow so will ask about all this before I swim.

Thanks so much both. I had initially been quite glad that the pool was chlorine free - it just sounded gentler - but then happened to come across an article online about swimming in pregnancy where a throwaway remark was made about chlorine being safe and much less hazardous than un-chlorinated pools. I couldn't find any other info that looked even vaguely reliable but was worried that I might be oblivious to some well known health hazard, especially as I've never been a regular swimmer or pregnant before! I've just checked the pool website and it says they use a mineral based cleaning system, so that sounds fine. Thanks again - feel like I can look forward to the lessons now.

I wondered if anyone has any thoughts/knowledge about the safety of swimming in a un-chlorinated pool when pregnant? I know people sometimes have reservations about chlorine but now I'm wondering if un-chlorinated is clean/hygienic enough? I'm just over three months pregnant with my first baby and want to start swimming more regularly. I decided to book for some improver lessons. These start later this week and are due to be held in an un-chlorinated pool. It's a quiet hotel pool so not heavily used but still?I've started to get a bit worried. I'm doing some hunting around online for info but can't find much and wondered if anyone out there had any advice? Thanks so much.

I'd be inclined to use a professional sign writer- mainly because my attempt to stencil (basic) numerals on our bins was a disaster! Quick google search throws up: http://www.alphasignwriting.co.uk/house_numbering.html And this guy: http://londonsignwriter.wordpress.com/category/painted-house-numerals-london-signwriter-ngs/ There must be lots more around- perhaps you could knock on a house with a painted number and ask who they used.

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Can the proposed route be seen online?

Hi Lily Following on from ed_pete's suggestion, I wanted to say that David and Paul Godden carried out a structural repair in our property early last year and I can't recommend them highly enough. We really appreciated their experience, professionalism and hard work. I don't often post here but know how worried we were when we saw cracking. I found the Goddens through the forum, so wanted to return the favour. I hope it all sorts out soon, good luck!