Somewhere in the last weeks of pregnancy, those tightenings start to feel like they might be the real thing. Timing your contractions turns a confusing, anxious “is this it?” into two clear numbers you can read out over the phone — and it helps your midwife or doctor judge where you are in labour. Here’s how to do it simply and accurately.
What does timing contractions actually mean?
A contraction is your uterus tightening and then relaxing. When you time them, you’re tracking two things:
- Duration — how long a single contraction lasts, from the moment it begins to tighten until it fully eases off. Most active-labour contractions last around 45 to 70 seconds.
- Frequency — how often they come, measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. This is the part people most often get wrong, because it’s tempting to measure from the end of one to the start of the next instead.
Together, these two numbers tell the story of your labour. As things progress, contractions generally get longer, stronger and closer together — that pattern matters far more than any single contraction.
How do you time a contraction?
You can do it with a clock and a notepad, but it’s fiddly mid-contraction — which is exactly when a contraction timer helps. The idea is simple:
- The moment a contraction begins, start the timer (or note the time).
- When it eases off, stop it. That gives you the duration.
- The tool compares the start times of consecutive contractions to work out the frequency and a running average, so you can see whether they’re getting closer together.
Jot down anything else that feels useful — whether you could talk through one, whether they’re getting more intense — and you’ll have a clear picture to share when you call.
What is the 5-1-1 rule and when should I go to the hospital?
The 5-1-1 rule is a widely used rule of thumb for first-time labour:
- Contractions about 5 minutes apart,
- each lasting about 1 minute,
- sustained for at least 1 hour.
When you hit that pattern, it often means active labour is established and it’s time to head in. But treat it as a guide, not a law. Your provider may give you different instructions — for example, to come in sooner if this isn’t your first baby (second and later labours can move faster), if you live a long way from the hospital, if your waters have broken, or if you have a condition that needs closer monitoring.
How can you tell real labour from Braxton Hicks?
Late-pregnancy “practice” contractions, called Braxton Hicks, can feel convincing. A few clues usually tell them apart:
- Braxton Hicks are typically irregular, don’t settle into a closer and closer rhythm, are more uncomfortable than painful, and often fade when you move, rest or drink some water.
- True labour contractions come at increasingly regular intervals, get longer and stronger, build a clear pattern, and carry on regardless of what you do.
If you’re not sure which you’re having, timing for an hour usually makes it obvious — real labour keeps tightening its pattern, while Braxton Hicks drift and fade.
What if my contractions are irregular or stop?
Early labour rarely arrives as a tidy, evenly spaced rhythm. It’s completely normal for contractions to be irregular at first — coming every few minutes, then spacing out again, sometimes for hours. This stop-start phase can last a long time, especially in a first labour, and it doesn’t mean anything is wrong. Rather than timing every single tightening through the night, it’s often kinder to rest, stay hydrated, eat lightly and move around between them, only timing for a stretch when they start to feel more regular or more intense.
If contractions fade away entirely after a while, that usually points to early or “false” labour rehearsing for the real thing, and it’s fine to let them go and carry on with your day. When they return and settle into a steadily closer pattern, start timing again. The moment to pay closer attention is when each wave clearly lasts longer and arrives sooner than the one before — that build-up is the signal real labour is taking hold.
When should you call your provider?
Timing supports the call to your midwife or maternity unit — it doesn’t replace it. Get in touch straight away, whatever the timer says, if:
- Your waters break, or you have any bleeding.
- You notice your baby moving less than usual — keep an eye on this with a kick counter in the days beforehand.
- The pain feels constant rather than coming in waves, or it’s suddenly very severe.
- You simply feel that something isn’t right.
And of course, follow whatever specific guidance your provider has already given you for your pregnancy. While you’re getting ready, our guide on when to pack your hospital bag helps make sure you’re set to go when the pattern says it’s time.
Trust your instincts above any number on a screen. The timer is there to give you confidence and clear information — the people caring for you will always rather hear from you than have you wait and wonder.
This article is for general information only and isn’t medical advice. Always follow the guidance your midwife or doctor has given you, and contact your maternity unit with any concern about labour, your waters, bleeding or your baby’s movements.