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I have family in town but we also use sitters. Most are dh's coworkers or my former students. We go abou once a month.

We haven't really been on a proper date since DS, but recently we went to a wedding reception and we hired a babysitter but still put him to bed ourselves (he's quite clingy to us at the mo). So he didn't even actually see the babysitter (great job for her!) maybe something like that would work for you guys?

We do yes. It's important to us.

We have a date night tomorrow night thanks to my sis volunteering to watch him. She also watched him last date-night, which was Valentines Day. So far that's it (he's 4 months) but we will try to do regular date nights and can rely on family to watch him.

We do. It's not often, though, but we have family and friends who will watch her.

It's important. Do you guys have other friends with kids? You could do a date night swap? Or you could get babysitter recs. Since your LO has stranger danger, you could have the babysitter come over and maybe the first time you guys all hang and have babysitter and LO interact with you two there. Then another time maybe you could go into your bedroom and watch a movie while babysitter handles LO to see how it goes. (This is kind of like what we did when we hired a nanny).

You guys need that time so get creative!

Yes, when we can. Care.com has actually been a really good resource for us in finding trustworthy, competent, caring sitters. We also have done at home date nights after the kids go to bed: special dinner, movie, or just have a glass of wine and talk. It's not the same as being able to go out, but it works in a pinch.

Yes, quite frequently. We're very lucky to have my MIL and parents so close by.

Very very rarely, but I'm hoping to change that. We are doing what other suggested- my friend and I are switching off babysitting. We go out after the babies are in bed, so last time I left Dh to put c to bed and hung out and watch movies at my friend's house while her son slept. Next weekend she is coming here while we go out. Hoping to make it a regular thing!

We do but not very often. We just use family as sitters.

We do but only a few times a year and that's to see a movie usually.

Not often enough, but yes. Every few months I ask my mom to babysit so we can have a date (day or night). Now that LO is getting older she is getting easier so I think I may start asking my brother to maybe sit for us sometimes so we can go more often. He is totally down for it but LO is still sort of scared of him sometimes so I'm trying to get her more used to him!

We've gone out twice since LO has been born and he's 16 months old.

We use a couple of our daycare teachers as sitters. Is that a possibility for you?

Yes. We often will put him down for bed a little early at 7:30 and have the babysitter come right after. It works out well.
ETA- no family in city, use hired babysitters probably 3 times a month on average. But they aren't only for solo date nights. Lots of friend dinners, weddings Etc

No we haven't!

yes we take advantage when my mom visits which is every few months and for special occasions like our bdays or valentines day, we try to get a sitter. our sitters are our former nannies though. i don't have anyone that i have only just used for occasional babysitting.

can your nanny babysit once in a while?

Yes. We try to do 1X a month but lately it's been less than that. I'm lucky that our family lives close by and my mom is always willing to come over and watch DS.

my mil will watch them sometimes, and we do have a few good friends that the kids trust.

sometimes for less experienced babysitters we just put the kids to bed first (7:30) and then go out afterwards. it's a shorter date (dessert and drinks, appys and drinks, only a movie, coffee date), but it's just as valuable, cheaper, and the kids are usually none the wiser.

We have date night tonight!! We go here and there. We either use his teacher as a babysitter or my parents.