Labor & contractions

Contraction timer

Think labor may be starting? Tap "start" when a contraction begins and "stop" when it eases off. This timer logs how long each one lasts and how far apart they are, tracks your averages over the last hour, and shows how close you are to the common 5-1-1 pattern — while the instructions your provider gave you always come first. Everything stays in this browser; one button deletes it all.

One rule above the whole page: bleeding, your water breaking, the baby moving less, contractions before 37 weeks, or severe constant pain mean call your provider now — whatever the timer says.

Some things can't wait for the timer. If you have vaginal bleeding, your water breaks (especially green or brown fluid), the baby is moving much less, you're having regular contractions before 37 weeks, or severe constant pain with no break — call your provider or go to labor & delivery now, whatever the contractions are doing. You will never be wasting anyone's time.

Your log is saved only in this browser, on this device — nothing is sent, shared, or uploaded. The "Delete my data" button below erases everything.

Tap start when a contraction begins

Last hour

contractions

Avg length

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each lasts

Avg apart

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start to start

Length = how long a contraction lasts. Apart = start of one to start of the next.

Pattern read

Time a few contractions in a row and your last-hour read will appear here — including how close you are to the 5-1-1 and 4-1-1 patterns.

5-1-1 is a general guide. If your provider gave you a different number — or told you to come in sooner because of your history or distance from the hospital — their instruction wins.

Your contraction log on this device

No contractions yet — tap "Start a contraction" above when the next one begins.

Stored only in this browser's local storage: start times, lengths, and intervals — nothing else, and never sent anywhere. On a shared device, delete whenever you like.

How it works

Length, frequency, and the last-hour trend

Timing contractions comes down to two numbers, measured the way ACOG describes. The length of a contraction is how long it lasts — from the moment it begins to the moment it eases off. The frequency is how far apart they are, measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, not from the end of one to the start of the next. Tapping start and stop is all you do; the timer keeps both.

The single most useful thing this tool tracks is the trend over the last hour, because a pattern tells you far more than any one contraction. Real labor contractions get longer, stronger, and closer together as time goes on, and they don't ease off when you walk or change position. Early labor, by contrast, is often irregular and can start and stop. The averages update as you go so you can see which way things are heading.

The widely-taught 5-1-1 rule is a rule of thumb for full-term labor: contractions about 5 minutes apart, each lasting about 1 minute, sustained for about 1 hour. Some providers use 4-1-1 or a different threshold based on your history and how far you live from the hospital. This page shows you how close your last hour is to each — but 5-1-1 is general information, and the number your provider gave you is the one to act on.

Start when it begins

The moment you feel a contraction start — a tightening that builds — tap Start. The timer measures how long the contraction lasts (its length).

Stop when it eases

When the tightening fades and the pain lets go, tap Stop. That closes the contraction and logs its length. Rest until the next one starts.

Frequency is start-to-start

How far apart contractions are is measured from the start of one to the start of the next — not from the end of one to the start of the next. The timer does this for you automatically.

Watch the last-hour trend

The averages over the last hour are what count. Early labor is often irregular; real labor gets longer, stronger, and closer together over time and doesn't ease off when you move or rest.

Is this really labor?

True labor vs false labor (Braxton-Hicks)

Braxton-Hicks "practice" contractions are common in the weeks before birth and can feel convincing. The difference is the trend — which is exactly why timing over an hour beats reading a single contraction.

Comparison of true labor and false labor (Braxton-Hicks) contractions, from ACOG guidance
What to look at	True labor	False labor
How regular	Come at regular intervals and settle into a rhythm	Irregular — no steady pattern you can time
The interval over time	Get closer together as time goes on	Stay far apart, or come and go with no trend
Strength over time	Steadily get stronger and longer	Stay weak, or start strong then fade
When you move or rest	Keep coming — walking or a position change doesn't stop them	Often ease off or stop when you walk, rest, or change position
Where you feel it	Usually starts in the back and moves to the front	Usually felt only in the front

Still can't tell after timing for a while? That's a normal reason to call your provider — you don't need to be sure first.

Call now — whatever the timer says

The red flags that override the pattern

The 5-1-1 read is for ordinary, full-term labor that's building normally. These signs come first — if any is happening, don't wait to hit a number. Call your obstetric provider, or go to labor & delivery if you can't reach them.

Any vaginal bleeding

More than the light 'bloody show' — call your provider now.

Your water breaks

Note the time, color, and smell. Green or brown fluid, or a strong odor, needs a call right away, not later.

The baby is moving much less

A drop in your baby's usual movement is a same-day call on its own — don't wait for the next contraction.

Contractions before 37 weeks

Regular contractions before 37 weeks can be preterm labor. Call now — being checked early is what protects the baby.

Severe, constant pain with no break

Pain that never fully lets up between contractions, or a sudden severe belly pain, needs urgent care now.

Whenever you're unsure, call. Being checked and reassured is the system working exactly as it should.

Am I in labor?

Walk through the signs of true labor, early labor, and when a symptom means call now.

Kick counter

Time 10 movements and learn your baby's normal — a slowdown is always a same-day call.

Pregnancy checklist

The to-dos of each trimester, so nothing slips through the third-trimester rush.

Prenatal schedule

Every appointment and test on the ACOG cadence, explained visit by visit.

Sources

Where this comes from

The timing method (frequency measured start-to-start, length measured start-to-stop), the 5-1-1 pattern, and the true-vs-false-labor signs all follow ACOG's patient guidance on how to tell when labor begins. The red flags — bleeding, water breaking, decreased fetal movement, contractions before 37 weeks, and severe constant pain — follow ACOG guidance on preterm labor, bleeding in pregnancy, and fetal well-being. We apply their thresholds; we don't invent our own, and we deliberately defer to the instructions your own provider gives you.

Medically Reviewed & Fact-Checked · Updated July 2026

Reviewed by EasySTD Editorial Team

Compiled and checked by EasySTD's editorial team against CDC and public-health sources. This is educational information, not a substitute for advice from a licensed clinician. Our editorial guidelines →

4 Sources

Data & references

ACOG: How to Tell When Labor Begins (5-1-1 and the contraction-timing method)https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/how-to-tell-when-labor-begins
ACOG: Preterm Labor and Birth (contractions before 37 weeks)https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/preterm-labor-and-birth
ACOG: Bleeding During Pregnancyhttps://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/bleeding-during-pregnancy
ACOG: Special Tests for Monitoring Fetal Well-Being (fetal movement)https://www.acog.org/womens-health/faqs/special-tests-for-monitoring-fetal-well-being

EasySTD is an information and comparison directory, not a healthcare provider. This timer is general information based on published ACOG guidance: it is not medical advice, a diagnosis, or fetal or labor monitoring, and it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. It cannot tell you that you are or aren't in labor. When contractions reach the threshold your provider set — or whenever something feels wrong — call your provider or go to labor & delivery.

Good to Know

Timing contractions: frequently asked questions

How to time start-to-start, what 5-1-1 and 4-1-1 mean, true vs false labor, the red flags that mean call now, what irregular contractions mean, and where your data lives.

How do I time contractions — what do 'start' and 'stop' mean?

Tap Start the moment a contraction begins — the tightening that builds and peaks — and tap Stop when it fades and the pain lets go. Two things get measured. The length (or duration) is how long that single contraction lasted, start to stop. The frequency (how far apart they are) is measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next one — not from the end of one to the start of the next. That start-to-start method is how ACOG describes timing labor, and it's why you'll sometimes hear contractions are '5 minutes apart' even though the rest between them is shorter than 5 minutes. This timer does both automatically, so you just tap start and stop.

What is the 5-1-1 rule, and when do I go to the hospital?

5-1-1 is a common rule of thumb for full-term labor: contractions about 5 minutes apart, each lasting about 1 minute, keeping that up for about 1 hour. Some providers use 4-1-1 (4 minutes apart) or a different number depending on your pregnancy, how far you live from the hospital, whether you've given birth before, and your specific history. That is the key point: 5-1-1 is general information, and the instruction your own provider gave you is the one that counts. This tool shows you how close your last hour is to 5-1-1 and 4-1-1 so you have a clear read to act on — but when you reach the threshold your provider set, or whenever you're unsure, call them or labor & delivery. You will not be wasting anyone's time.

How can I tell true labor from false labor (Braxton-Hicks)?

Braxton-Hicks — 'practice' or false-labor contractions — are common in the weeks before birth and can feel convincing. The difference is in the trend. True labor contractions come at regular intervals that get closer together, get steadily stronger and longer, keep coming when you walk or change position, and are often felt starting in the back and wrapping to the front. False-labor contractions are irregular, don't get closer together, stay weak or fade, often ease off when you move or rest, and are usually felt only in the front. That's exactly why timing over a full hour matters more than any single contraction: the pattern, not the moment, tells you which one this is. If you time for a while and still can't tell, call your provider — that's a normal reason to call.

What are the red flags that mean call now, no matter the pattern?

Some things override the timer completely — call your provider or go to labor & delivery immediately, whatever the contractions are doing: any vaginal bleeding beyond light spotting; your water breaking (note the time and color — green or brown fluid or a strong smell especially needs an urgent call); your baby moving noticeably less than usual; regular contractions before 37 weeks, which can be preterm labor; or severe, constant pain that never fully eases between contractions. None of these are 'wait and time it' situations. When in doubt, call — being checked and reassured is the system working exactly as intended.

My contractions are irregular — does that mean it isn't labor?

Not necessarily. Early (latent) labor is often irregular and spaced out, and it can start and stop over a day or more before it organizes into a steady pattern. Irregular contractions can also be false labor. The honest answer is that a single reading can't tell you which — that's why this timer focuses on the last-hour average and whether contractions are getting closer together and stronger over time. In the meantime, early labor is usually best managed at home: rest, stay hydrated, eat lightly, and keep timing. But follow whatever your provider told you about when to call, and call sooner if anything changes or feels wrong — you never need a 'good enough' reason to check in.

Is my contraction log saved anywhere? Is it private?

Your log lives only in this browser's local storage, on your own device — a list of start times, lengths, and intervals, and nothing else. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone: no account, no cloud, no analytics on your contractions. The 'Delete my data' button erases everything instantly, and clearing your browser data does the same; the 'Export' button saves a copy to your own device if you want to share it with your provider. We treat reproductive data as sensitive by default — on a shared device, use the delete button whenever you like. This tool is educational; it isn't medical advice, a diagnosis, or a substitute for calling your provider.

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