Contraction Timer (Labor Tracker)
Time your contractions during labor with our free Contraction Timer. Simply press Start when a contraction begins and Stop when it ends. Track your contraction duration, frequency, and labor stage progression — helping you know when it's time to head to the hospital. Stay calm and informed throughout your labor journey.
Contraction Timer
Your Contraction Results
Contraction History
| # | Started | Duration (sec) | Time Between |
|---|---|---|---|
| No contractions recorded yet. | |||
What This Means
Start timing your contractions to see personalized insights about your labor progression.
How to Use the Tool
1. Set labor date
Enter the date your labor began.
2. Start & Stop
Press Start when a contraction begins, Stop when it ends.
3. Track progress
Monitor duration, frequency & labor stage.
How It's Calculated
Key Metrics
- Duration: Time from Start to Stop
- Frequency: Time between contraction starts
- Average Duration: Mean of all durations
- Average Frequency: Mean time between contractions
Labor Stages
- Early Labor: Contractions 5-30 min apart, 30-45 sec
- Active Labor: Contractions 3-5 min apart, 45-60 sec
- Transition: Contractions 2-3 min apart, 60-90 sec
About Contractions & Labor
What are Contractions?
Contractions are the tightening and relaxing of the uterine muscles during labor. They help push the baby down the birth canal. Timing contractions helps you understand your labor progression — when they become regular, longer, and closer together, it's a sign that active labor is approaching.
When to Go to the Hospital:
- Active Labor: Contractions 3-5 min apart, 45-60 sec long
- Transition: Contractions 2-3 min apart, 60-90 sec long
- Water Breaks: Call your healthcare provider immediately
- Bleeding: Any heavy bleeding requires immediate attention
Limitations of This Tool
- This tool is for tracking and informational purposes only.
- Not a substitute for medical advice or professional labor monitoring.
- Labor progression varies — always follow your healthcare provider's guidance.
- If you have any concerns, call your provider or go to the hospital immediately.
Trust & Privacy
Your data stays in your browser. All timing data is stored locally. We never send your data to any server.
No registration or login required. Your privacy is 100% protected.
No cookies used for tracking. Your history is stored locally in your browser's localStorage.
Based on standard labor progression guidelines. Our tool follows established obstetric principles.
Real-World Examples
5 contractions, 30-45 sec, 8-10 min apart
Early Labor
8 contractions, 45-60 sec, 3-5 min apart
Active Labor
12 contractions, 60-90 sec, 2-3 min apart
Transition
Frequently Asked Questions
References
- American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Labor and Delivery. acog.org
- World Health Organization. Childbirth Care. who.int
- National Institutes of Health. Labor and Birth. nichd.nih.gov
Related Tools
Your History
Editorial & Medical Review
Contraction Timer: Track Labor Contractions, Duration & Frequency
A Contraction Timer helps you record the timing and pattern of uterine contractions during pregnancy and labor. By tracking when a contraction starts and ends, you can see how long contractions last and how much time passes before the next one begins.
Timing contractions can be useful during early labor because contractions often become longer, stronger, and more frequent as labor progresses. However, contraction timing alone cannot confirm that you are in true labor. A healthcare professional may need to assess cervical changes and your overall condition.
The Healthtus Contraction Timer is designed as a tracking tool. It records contraction timing and helps summarize your recent pattern. It does not diagnose labor, measure cervical dilation, or determine when your baby will be born.
Quick answer: Start the timer when a contraction begins and stop it when the contraction ends. The tool can then summarize contraction duration and the time between contractions. Continue recording several contractions so you can see whether your pattern is becoming more regular.
How to Use the Contraction Timer
The Healthtus Contraction Timer shown in your tool screenshot is designed around a simple three-step process: set the labor date, start and stop the timer, and track your progress.
1. Set Your Labor Date
Enter the labor start date requested by the calculator.
This gives the tool a reference point for your labor-timing history.
Use the date that corresponds to the current labor or contraction-tracking session.
2. Start and Stop the Timer
When a contraction begins, press Start.
When the contraction ends, press Stop.
The timer records the length of that contraction.
When the next contraction begins, start the timer again.
Continue doing this for several contractions rather than relying on only one measurement.
3. Track Your Progress
As you record more contractions, the timer can help summarize your contraction pattern.
This may include:
- Contraction duration
- Time between contractions
- Contraction frequency
- Average duration
- Average timing pattern
The goal is to help you see whether contractions are becoming more regular or closer together.
The timer does not determine whether you are in active labor.
How Our Contraction Timer Works
The Healthtus Contraction Timer records the start and end of each contraction and uses those timestamps to calculate timing information. The SEO methodology supplied for this tool describes the same core process: recording the contraction start and end, then calculating duration and the interval between contractions.
Contraction Duration
Contraction duration is how long one contraction lasts.
For example:
Start: 10:00:00
End: 10:01:00
Duration: 60 seconds
Time Between Contractions
The interval between contractions is commonly measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
For example:
Contraction 1 starts: 10:00
Contraction 2 starts: 10:05
Interval: 5 minutes
This is different from contraction duration.
A contraction might last 60 seconds while the next contraction begins 5 minutes after the previous one started.
Contraction Frequency
Contraction frequency describes how often contractions occur during a given period.
As labor progresses, contractions generally tend to become more frequent and regular, although individual labor patterns vary.
Contraction Pattern
The pattern looks at how your contractions are changing over several readings.
You may notice that they are:
- Becoming more regular
- Coming closer together
- Lasting longer
- Becoming stronger
Timing several contractions provides more useful information than timing only one.
What Does a Contraction Timer Measure?
A contraction timer can provide several useful timing measurements.
| Measurement | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Duration | How long one contraction lasts |
| Interval | Time from the start of one contraction to the start of the next |
| Frequency | How often contractions are occurring |
| Pattern | Whether contractions are becoming more regular or closer together |
These measurements help you describe your contraction pattern to your maternity team.
The tool measures time.
It does not measure cervical dilation, fetal wellbeing, contraction strength inside the uterus, or the stage of labor.
How Do You Time Contractions?
Timing contractions is straightforward.
Start the timer as soon as you feel a contraction begin.
Stop the timer when the contraction finishes.
Then wait for the next contraction.
When it starts, begin timing again.
Continue recording several contractions.
March of Dimes recommends recording the time from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, while also paying attention to whether contractions continue despite rest, hydration, or changing activity.
A useful record might look like:
| Contraction | Duration | Start-to-Start Interval |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 35 sec | 7 min |
| 2 | 40 sec | 6 min |
| 3 | 45 sec | 5 min |
| 4 | 50 sec | 5 min |
This gives a much clearer picture than saying, “My contractions are getting stronger.”
What Do Real Labor Contractions Feel Like?
True labor contractions vary from person to person.
As labor progresses, contractions generally become:
- More regular
- Stronger
- Longer
- Closer together
ACOG explains that true labor contractions generally become stronger over time, whereas false contractions may remain weak or become weaker.
Some people feel contraction pain mainly in the abdomen, while others may feel discomfort beginning in the back and moving toward the front.
You may also experience:
- Pelvic pressure
- Lower back discomfort
- Abdominal tightening
- A feeling of pressure in the pelvis
- Changes in vaginal discharge
- A mucus “show”
- Your waters breaking
These symptoms can vary considerably.
A contraction timer can help with the timing pattern, but it cannot determine whether labor has definitely started.
Braxton Hicks vs. True Labor
Braxton Hicks contractions are sometimes called practice contractions.
They can occur before true labor and may be uncomfortable or even painful.
A general comparison is:
| Feature | Braxton Hicks | True Labor |
|---|---|---|
| Pattern | Often irregular | Usually becomes more regular |
| Frequency | Does not steadily increase | Often becomes closer together |
| Duration | Does not usually progressively lengthen | Often becomes longer |
| Strength | Usually does not steadily intensify | Generally becomes stronger |
| Progression | May remain irregular or settle | Typically continues and progresses |
| Cervical change | Does not cause progressive labor dilation | Associated with cervical change |
NHS guidance says Braxton Hicks contractions typically do not become longer, stronger, and more frequent in the same way as labor contractions.
However, there is no reliable way to diagnose true labor using a timer alone.
March of Dimes notes that a healthcare professional may need to check the cervix to determine whether true labor is occurring.
What Happens to Contractions in Early Labor?
The early part of labor is often called the latent phase.
During this stage, contractions can be irregular and may not yet follow a predictable pattern.
They gradually tend to become:
More regular → Longer → Stronger → Closer together
The latent phase can take hours and sometimes longer.
This means you do not necessarily need to panic if your first contractions do not immediately follow an exact pattern.
Continue timing them and follow the instructions provided by your maternity team.
What Happens During Active Labor?
As labor becomes established, contractions generally become stronger and more regular, while the cervix continues to dilate.
NHS describes established labor as the point when the cervix has dilated to around 4 cm and contractions are stronger and more regular.
The exact timing and experience of active labor varies.
Your contraction pattern is useful information, but your maternity team may also assess:
- Cervical dilation
- Cervical effacement
- Baby’s position
- Fetal heart rate
- Maternal condition
- Other clinical findings
That is why a contraction timer should not label someone as being in “active labor.”
What Happens During Transition?
Transition refers to the final part of the first stage of labor, as the cervix approaches full dilation.
Contractions may feel particularly intense during this period.
However, there is no timer-based calculation that can reliably tell you that you have entered transition.
Only a clinical assessment can establish cervical dilation and labor progress.
What Does the 5-1-1 Rule Mean?
You may have heard of the 5-1-1 rule.
It generally means:
Contractions about 5 minutes apart
Each lasting about 1 minute
Continuing for about 1 hour
The rule is commonly discussed as a way of recognizing a pattern that may indicate labor is progressing.
However, 5-1-1 is not a universal rule for every pregnancy.
The appropriate time to contact your maternity unit can depend on:
- Whether this is your first baby
- Previous births
- Gestational age
- Pregnancy complications
- Distance from your hospital
- Your maternity team’s instructions
- Other individual circumstances
NHS guidance advises contacting a midwife or maternity unit if you think you are in labor or are having regular contractions about every 5 minutes or more often.
Use the instructions given by your own maternity team rather than waiting for a calculator to tell you what to do.
When Should You Call Your Healthcare Provider?
Contact your midwife, obstetrician, maternity unit, or other pregnancy-care provider if you think you are in labor or are unsure about your symptoms.
You should also contact them if your contractions are becoming regular and increasingly close together.
NHS specifically advises contacting the maternity team if you think labor has started or if you are experiencing regular contractions about every 5 minutes or more frequently.
ACOG similarly advises contacting your obstetric care provider if you think you are in labor or are uncertain about what you are experiencing.
Do not wait for the contraction timer to reach a particular number if your healthcare provider has given you different instructions.
When Is Contraction Timing an Emergency?
A contraction timer is not an emergency-detection tool.
Seek urgent medical advice if:
- Your waters break
- You have vaginal bleeding
- Your baby is moving less than usual
- You are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you may be in labor
- A contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes
- You are having 6 or more contractions within 10 minutes
- You have severe or unusual symptoms
- You are worried about your health or your baby’s health
These are consistent with NHS maternity guidance.
If you have severe symptoms or believe your baby is coming immediately, seek emergency medical assistance rather than continuing to use the timer. NHS advises emergency help when there is a strong urge to push and the baby appears to be coming.
What If My Baby Is Moving Less Than Usual?
A contraction timer should never be used to decide whether reduced fetal movement is safe to wait on.
If your baby’s movements are less than usual or the normal movement pattern has changed, contact your maternity provider immediately.
NHS guidance specifically identifies reduced fetal movement as a reason to contact the maternity team urgently.
This is especially important because contraction timing and fetal wellbeing are different issues.
A timer can record contractions.
It cannot assess your baby.
What If My Waters Break?
Your waters, or amniotic sac, can break before contractions begin or during labor.
This may feel like:
- A sudden gush
- A slow trickle
- Fluid that continues to leak
If you think your waters have broken, contact your maternity team for advice. NHS recommends contacting the maternity team when waters break and advises telling them immediately if the fluid is colored or smelly or if there is bleeding.
Do not continue timing contractions and wait simply because contractions have not started yet.
What If I Have Contractions Before 37 Weeks?
Regular contractions or uterine tightening before 37 weeks of pregnancy may be a sign of preterm labor.
Do not rely on a contraction timer alone in this situation.
Contact your obstetrician, midwife, or maternity unit promptly.
NHS specifically recommends contacting the maternity team when someone is under 37 weeks and has regular contractions or tightenings.
ACOG also lists regular or frequent contractions, pelvic pressure, backache, discharge changes, and ruptured membranes among possible symptoms of preterm labor and advises contacting an obstetric provider right away if these occur.
How Accurate Is a Contraction Timer?
A contraction timer can accurately record the times you enter.
It cannot accurately determine:
- Whether you are in true labor
- Whether your cervix is dilating
- How quickly your cervix will dilate
- Whether you need to go to hospital
- When your baby will be born
- Whether your baby is well
This distinction is extremely important.
The timer can measure time. It cannot diagnose labor.
The research supplied for this page makes the same distinction, noting that contraction timing is a tracking tool and that professional assessment may be necessary to distinguish true from false labor.
Why Track Several Contractions?
One contraction does not tell you much about the overall pattern.
Recording several contractions lets you see whether:
- Duration is increasing
- Intervals are shortening
- Contractions are becoming more regular
- The pattern is continuing over time
For example:
35 seconds → 40 seconds → 45 seconds → 50 seconds
with intervals changing from:
7 minutes → 6 minutes → 5 minutes → 5 minutes
shows a different pattern from contractions that remain irregular.
However, the pattern still does not establish whether you are in active labor.
Common Contraction-Timing Mistakes
Timing from the End of One Contraction to the Start of the Next
This is a common mistake.
Contraction interval is generally measured from:
Start of contraction → Start of next contraction
not:
End of contraction → Start of next contraction.
Timing Only One Contraction
One contraction cannot show a reliable pattern.
Try to record several.
Assuming Every Regular Contraction Means Active Labor
Regular contractions can be an important labor sign, but active labor involves cervical changes as well.
Waiting for the Timer to Tell You to Seek Care
Never wait for an online calculator to tell you whether you need medical attention.
Follow your maternity team’s instructions.
Ignoring Other Symptoms
Waters breaking, vaginal bleeding, reduced fetal movement, or contractions before 37 weeks can require prompt assessment even if the contraction pattern does not seem dramatic.
Who Can Use a Contraction Timer?
A contraction timer can be useful for pregnant people who want to:
- Record contraction duration
- Track contraction intervals
- Monitor a developing contraction pattern
- Share timing information with their maternity team
- Understand how contractions are changing
It can be especially useful during early labor when contractions may be irregular and difficult to remember.
However, people with high-risk pregnancies or specific medical instructions should follow their provider’s advice about when and how to monitor contractions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a contraction timer?
A contraction timer is a tool that records the start and end of contractions and helps calculate contraction duration and the interval between contractions.
How do I time contractions?
Start the timer when a contraction begins and stop it when the contraction ends. Start again when the next contraction begins. Record several contractions to see the overall pattern.
When should I start timing contractions?
You can start timing when contractions become noticeable and you want to understand their duration and frequency. If you think you are in labor or are unsure, contact your maternity team for personalized guidance.
How long should contractions last?
Contraction duration varies throughout labor. Early contractions may be shorter, while contractions generally become longer as labor progresses. Individual patterns vary, so duration alone cannot determine the stage of labor.
How far apart should contractions be?
There is no single interval that applies to every pregnancy. As labor progresses, contractions generally become closer together. NHS advises contacting a maternity unit when regular contractions are coming about every 5 minutes or more often, but individual guidance can differ.
What is contraction frequency?
Contraction frequency describes how often contractions occur over a period of time.
What is contraction duration?
Contraction duration is the amount of time from the beginning of a contraction until it ends.
How do I calculate the time between contractions?
Measure from the start of one contraction to the start of the next contraction.
What is the difference between contraction duration and frequency?
Duration tells you how long one contraction lasts.
Frequency or interval tells you how often contractions occur.
They are different measurements.
What is the difference between Braxton Hicks and true labor?
Braxton Hicks contractions are often irregular and do not consistently become stronger, longer, and closer together. True labor contractions generally progress in strength, duration, and frequency.
Can contractions be irregular in early labor?
Yes. Early or latent labor can involve irregular contractions before a more established pattern develops. The latent phase can last hours and sometimes longer.
What does the 5-1-1 rule mean?
It commonly refers to contractions about 5 minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute each, for about 1 hour.
It is a commonly discussed guideline, not a universal rule. Follow your own maternity team’s instructions.
When should I call my doctor or midwife for contractions?
Contact your maternity team if you think you are in labor, are having regular contractions, or are unsure about your symptoms. NHS guidance advises contacting the maternity unit when regular contractions are about 5 minutes apart or more often.
Can a contraction timer tell me if I am in labor?
No.
It can show your contraction pattern, but it cannot determine cervical dilation or diagnose true labor.
Can I have contractions without my water breaking?
Yes. Your waters may break before labor, during labor, or after contractions have already started. If your waters break, contact your maternity team for guidance.
What if my water breaks before contractions?
Contact your maternity team even if you are not having contractions. NHS specifically advises contacting the maternity team when your waters break.
What if I have contractions before 37 weeks?
Contact your maternity provider or maternity unit promptly. Regular contractions or tightenings before 37 weeks can be a sign of preterm labor.
What if my baby is moving less than usual?
Contact your maternity provider immediately. Reduced fetal movement should not be evaluated using a contraction timer.
How accurate is a contraction timer?
The timer can accurately record the times you start and stop it. It cannot diagnose labor or determine whether your cervix is changing.
When should I go to the hospital for contractions?
Follow the instructions given by your maternity team. If you think you are in labor, contact them for guidance. Seek urgent help for symptoms such as heavy bleeding, reduced fetal movement, waters breaking, preterm contractions, or other serious concerns.
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Key Takeaways
- A Contraction Timer records contraction duration and timing intervals.
- Start timing when a contraction begins and stop when it ends.
- Measure the interval from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
- Tracking several contractions gives you a better picture of the overall pattern.
- True labor contractions generally become stronger, longer, and more frequent.
- Braxton Hicks contractions often remain irregular and do not progressively intensify in the same way.
- The 5-1-1 rule is a commonly discussed guide, not a universal rule for every pregnancy.
- A contraction timer cannot diagnose labor or measure cervical dilation.
- Contact your maternity team if you think you are in labor or are unsure about your symptoms.
- Seek urgent assessment for waters breaking, vaginal bleeding, reduced fetal movement, contractions before 37 weeks, contractions lasting longer than 2 minutes, or other concerning symptoms.
References
- NHS. Signs that labour has begun.
NHS: Signs of Labour - NHS. The stages of labour and birth.
NHS: Stages of Labour - NHS. Premature labour and birth.
NHS: Premature Labour - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). How to Tell When Labor Begins.
ACOG: How to Tell When Labor Begins - American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG). Preterm Labor and Birth.
ACOG: Preterm Labor and Birth - March of Dimes. Contractions and signs of labor.
March of Dimes: Contractions and Signs of Labor
Medical Disclaimer
This Contraction Timer is an educational tracking tool that records contraction duration and timing patterns. It cannot diagnose labor, determine cervical dilation, predict when your baby will be born, or replace advice from your obstetrician, midwife, or maternity care team.
If you think you are in labor, your waters break, you have vaginal bleeding, your baby is moving less than usual, you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and having contractions, a contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes, or you have any other concerning symptoms, contact your maternity provider promptly.
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Written by: Suvojit Datta, M.Pharm
Last reviewed: August 2026