Date night usually means dinner and a movie, but it can also mean a frank discussion of your dating history. No one wants to wonder whether their new partner is still smitten with his or her ex, or whether they, too, will end up on the receiving end of a mouthful of hatred. So check your breakup baggage along with your coat, and instead spend the first few dates explaining your issues with your mother. Just kidding. Relax and simply try to get a decent picture of who your date is. And while you might feel more comfortable dating someone who's been in competition with you -- e.g., an ex-boyfriend dating a friend of yours -- keep in mind that dating people from the same social circle tends to lead to one-on-one comparisons, making dating uncomfortable for everyone involved. "Talking about your dating history can make you seem self-absorbed and may also highlight the fact that you're not over an ex," says dating expert Laurel House, author of Stop Getting Dumped! "In other words, it will make a great first impression only if the person is interested in dating an egomaniac." If there's any question what your date thinks of dating competitors, avoid talking about past relationships altogether during the first few dates. Once you get a sense of him or her -- and vice versa -- then feel free to mention that breakup that left you really bitter toward someone who had caused you both physical and emotional pain. Just kidding again! Wait until the eighth date at least. "You don't want to scare away a potentially great dating prospect, and you also don't want to look like someone who's going to hold a grudge for years," says dating expert Tracy Quan, author of Diary of a Manhattan Call Girl . In other words, it's easy to assume that a person you're dating is still hung up on their ex when he or she refers to them during conversation or includes them in Facebook updates. If you do notice signs that your date is dating others as well, address it as gently as possible -- preferably after getting through your first round of speed dating. "It may be worth mentioning something along the lines of, 'I'm dating other people myself. I think it's great when you can be open about dating around; at the same time, I'd like to make sure we're both on the same page,'" says Morgan. "This shows that you respect your date enough to discuss dating boundaries and what they want out of dating." If after dating for a while, however, you notice signs that he or she is still hung up on an ex -- e.g., mentioning them frequently or spending hours doing something that looks suspiciously like stalking -- then sit down and have a chat with him or her. "If it happens more than once, point out how much time your date talks about his/her former love interest," says dating expert Lisa Concepcion, author of The Rules for Online Dating . "If you feel your date isn't getting the hint, then it's time to address the issue head on with a statement like this: 'I noticed that you seem to mention your ex a lot. I'm wondering if there's something going on that I should know about.'" And since you're intuitive types, dating divas, we'll leave it up to you to figure out how and when to break the news of dating someone new or seeing someone exclusively. If all else fails, don't be afraid to point out his or her former love interest in an almost-cordial way -- perhaps via email so as not to cause more trouble than necessary? Just kidding! You dating divas are much better than that. "You don't want to sound jealous or insecure, so match your tone with the level of closeness you have with this person," says dating expert DeAnna Lorraine, author of Don't Worry, Date Happy . "For example, if he or she just a casual dating partner, a simple 'I've decided to date other people too' should suffice." Of course, it can be hard not to freak out when you meet someone who seems perfect for you only to discover that he or she is still in love with an ex -- but try dating some new prospects before calling on your ex. In the meantime... "The best way to deal with dating an ex's ex is to be confident and secure enough that you don't feel the need to compete," says dating expert Belisa Vranich, author of Breathe . "Love yourself for who you are and how awesome you are, so that there's no question your date will see what he or she is missing." After all, we dating divas can vouch for our fabulous dating lives and personal grooming habits -- and the dating prospects whom we attract because of them. Although it can be tough not talking about your ex on a first date, remember that dating should be fun! Don't bring baggage from other relationships into those with new dating partners; it's likely they've d their old love interests as well and dating is supposed to be a fresh start. Also, it's possible that dating divas reading this article will date your dating partner and then you can't talk about your dating partner! On the other hand, if they know each other, that could get awkward. There are two main reasons someone might mention an ex on a first date: 1) The person still likes his/her ex because 2) the person doesn't want to hurt your feelings or isn't interested in dating you. Either way, don't bring up former partners unless they do because who even knows what happened with them?! Background information (to use as knowledge and not copy verbatim): "No one wants to wonder whether their new partner is still sm