Early labor tracking
Keep a clear timeline as contractions begin, stop, restart, or become more consistent. The log is useful when early labor is slow or when contractions come in waves.
Use cases
Built for simple contraction timing
Care team conversations
Share recent duration and interval patterns without trying to remember exact start times. This is especially helpful when calling a doctor, midwife, birth center, or hospital triage line.
Partner support
Let a partner, doula, or support person handle timing with one large start and stop control while the laboring person focuses on comfort.
Why it helps
Useful timing without turning it into a diagnosis
A contraction timer is valuable because it turns a hard-to-remember experience into a simple record: start times, durations, intervals, and recent averages. It helps with communication and pattern awareness, while leaving medical decisions to your care team.
Less mental math during a stressful moment
Labor can be tiring, distracting, and emotional. A timer removes the need to watch a clock, subtract times, or remember the last few contractions while you are trying to breathe, move, rest, or support someone else.
A clearer timeline for care team calls
Instead of saying “they feel close together,” you can describe recent durations and intervals. That gives your doctor, midwife, or hospital team a cleaner picture when they ask what has been happening.
Better support from a partner or doula
The large start and stop button makes it easy for another person to handle timing. That lets the laboring person focus on comfort, breathing, hydration, and position changes.
A simple way to notice pattern changes
The log shows whether contractions are staying irregular, becoming steadier, or getting closer together. It does not diagnose labor, but it helps you see the timing pattern instead of guessing.
How it works
Start-to-start spacing, not guesswork
The interval is calculated from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. That keeps the log aligned with the way contraction frequency is commonly discussed by labor resources and care teams.
This page is intentionally simple: it records timing data and shows the recent pattern. It does not interpret symptoms, predict delivery, or replace the instructions you received from your clinician.
Step 1
Tap Start when a contraction begins.
Step 2
Tap Stop when that contraction ends.
Step 3
Review the duration and interval in the session log.
Step 4
Follow the medical guidance you were given for next steps.
What it tracks
The numbers that make a contraction log useful
A helpful contraction log is not just a stopwatch result. It should show when each contraction happened, how long it lasted, and how much time passed before the next one began.
Measurement
What it means
Why it helps
Measurement
Start time
What it means
The clock time when a contraction begins.
Why it helps
Helps create a timeline if you need to explain when contractions started or changed.
Measurement
Duration
What it means
How long one contraction lasts from start to finish.
Why it helps
Helps you describe whether recent contractions are short, long, or changing over time.
Measurement
Interval
What it means
The time from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
Why it helps
Helps show contraction frequency and whether spacing is getting closer together.
Measurement
Recent averages
What it means
Average duration and average interval for the current session.
Why it helps
Smooths out one-off contractions so the overall recent pattern is easier to discuss.
Care team first
Use this log as a conversation aid, not a medical rule
ACOG notes that true labor contractions tend to come in a pattern, get closer together, and last about 60 to 90 seconds, while false labor contractions may not form a pattern. Mayo Clinic also describes timing contractions from the beginning of one to the beginning of the next. Those patterns are useful to record, but only your care team can tell you what they mean for your pregnancy.
FAQ
Contraction timer questions
What is a contraction timer?
A contraction timer records when each contraction starts and ends, then calculates duration, start-to-start spacing, and recent averages. The goal is to create a clear timing log you can review yourself or share with your doctor, midwife, hospital, or birth support person.
How do I time contractions?
Tap Start when a contraction begins and tap Stop when it ends. The timer saves the length of that contraction and the interval from the start of the previous contraction.
Why is start-to-start spacing useful?
Start-to-start spacing shows how often contractions are arriving. Many labor resources discuss contraction frequency this way because it reveals whether contractions are becoming more regular or closer together over time.
What should I do with the contraction history?
Use the history as a plain-language timeline: when contractions started, how long recent contractions lasted, and how far apart they were. This can make a phone call with your care team easier because you are not relying on memory during a stressful moment.
Can this timer tell me when to go to the hospital?
No. This tool is for personal timing records only. Follow the instructions from your doctor, midwife, hospital, or local emergency services for medical decisions.
Can I use this for Braxton Hicks contractions?
You can use it to record any contraction-like tightening, but the timer cannot diagnose false labor or true labor. If contractions are painful, regular, unusual for you, or you are unsure what is happening, contact your care team.
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