Babies devour time. For mothers and fathers who work, or for those who stay at home, it is important for you to have some time off to recharge your batteries. You may use the time just for quiet and a chance to read the paper, or to meet with friends and/or even reignite romance by having a date with your spouse. Finding someone to watch the baby for a few hours, however, is a real challenge. One of the first barriers to be overcome is your own guilt about leaving the baby in the care of someone else and the anxiety over possible dangers. For some lucky few parents, who have grandparents or other extended family members living nearby and willing and eager to watch the baby, the child care issue is not a major problem. A family member, particularly a grandparent, is attached to the child, is experienced, reliable and trustworthy. In most cases leaving the baby in the care of a family member reduces a lot of the guilt and anxiety.

If such help is not available, the task of finding a babysitter whom you can trust and feel comfortable leaving your baby with, requires some work. If you are friends with a couple who have teenage daughters or sons whom you know to be mature and responsible, you can explore their willingness to sit for you. Another option is to ask other parents of young children whom they use for a sitter and whom they might recommend. Professional baby sitters are also a possibility. However you find your sitter, it is always good to meet ahead of time with the person to assure yourself that you would feel secure and comfortable leaving your baby in his or her care. Watching him or her interact with the baby is often a good test of how the sitter will do.

Once you have chosen a sitter, there are a few simple rules to insure all goes well.

1. It is important to type out a baby check list. A thorough list of this kind can be downloaded from Sittercity

2. It is also important that the sitter be given a tour of the house, so as to be able to readily locate the phone, toilets, fire extinguisher, etc.

3. You will feel better if you do as much preparation ahead of time as possible. Mixing and measuring the formula, putting the baby in his or her sleeping outfit and giving him or her any necessary medications.

Even after all of this you may still feel a little guilty, but you can always call to assure yourself that all is well and to enjoy your time out.