Silly question, how do people leave baby with someone else to put to bed etc

[YogiBooBoo]

Say if I wanted to go out for 1 evening with DP (dd is 4.5 months old) if I got a friend or GP to look after for couple hours and it was during bedtime, what if she wouldn't sleep? Or if I settle her to sleep and she wakes when I'm gone?
I am just wondering about what people do as this is my first and I have no help from anyone really just doing it myself with a supportive partner but small family who aren't really that forthcoming, I just don't know how these things work, all my friends say they have their mums come over and deal with baby but my mum isn't like that and unlikely confident enough to look after her alone, but I do Have friends or babysitter I could hire if needed. Btw I'm not planning on going anywhere, lol.

I would explain to whoever is babysitting what you do to settle her when/if she wakes. Tell them all the things to try that normally work. If she does wake and won't go back to sleep it's not the end of the world for one night. They will manage. And chances are she'll sleep the whole time and won't even notice you're gone.

Is your baby BF or FF? I would have assumed a FF baby would be a bit easier because anyone can give them a bottle. Mine have all been BF and we didn't really go out until they were fairly predictable about feeds in the evenings (when this was depended on the child, for DD1 we didn't go out until she was almost a year old, for DD2 she was about 6 weeks, can't remember for DS, a few months old maybe?). We have no family close by but I have good friends who babysit for us and we babysit for them, that way the kids are with someone they know. If DH and I went out when they were very small I left some expressed milk (which was never needed but was reassuring for me and the babysitter). We never went far (small town so only 10 minutes from anywhere) so would have been able to get back if need be. FWIW we've alway put the kids to bed before we go out, the only exception to this is when we are visiting my Mum who (the luxury!) will give the kids tea and put them to bed for us but that's because they are older and don't need feeding to sleep anymore.

I'd do a trial run before a longer night out if you're that anxious tbh. If you don't, then you might not be able to relax which would ruin your evening.

Have them over for at least half an hour before bedtime, do bedtime yourself with them around to 'help' and then go out for an hour locally.

That system worked for me.

I very infrequently go out after bedtime as she's bf. I don't think anyone else could put her to bed, but usually have a reliable few hours after that jinxes things I've not been far but I guess if she did wake and wouldn't settle it wouldn't be the end of the world. have only left her with my mum though.

or go out in the day!

20 months and DP and I haven't had a night out together as he is so hard to settle we don't believe anyone else could. Even sometimes when I'm out I get home and ds is still awake past 10 pm as he dan get anxious. Saying that I'm a complete insomniac and I think ds has inherited iTunes my inability to relax!