How to Time Labor Contractions (Step-by-Step Guide)

If you're reading this in the middle of early labor — breathe. Timing contractions is simpler than it sounds, and a single browser tab with a stopwatch is all you actually need. This guide walks through what to measure, the rule most providers use to decide when to come in, and the small mistakes that throw the numbers off.

What You Are Actually Measuring

There are two numbers your provider wants: how long each contraction lasts (duration), and how far apart they are (frequency). Frequency is measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next — not from end to start. This is the most common mistake.

Duration is the time from when the contraction first tightens to when the belly fully relaxes again. Most early contractions last 30–45 seconds. Active labor contractions tend to run 60–90 seconds.

The 5-1-1 Rule

Most US providers use some version of 5-1-1 for first-time births: contractions 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute each, for at least 1 hour. That's the typical signal to head to the hospital or call your midwife. For people who have given birth before, providers often use 7-1-1 or even 10-1-1 — labor moves faster the second time.

Always defer to whatever your provider told you. Bleeding, broken water, or a contraction pattern that suddenly intensifies are reasons to call regardless of the numbers.

How to Time Them With a Stopwatch

Open a stopwatch in a browser tab and leave it running. When a contraction starts, hit Lap. When it ends, hit Lap again. When the next one starts, hit Lap. The lap times alternate between duration and gap — exactly the data your provider will ask for.

Don't reset the stopwatch between contractions. The continuous running clock is what makes frequency easy to read later.

A partner is the best person for this job. The person in labor should not be trying to operate a phone between contractions.

When to Start Timing

You don't need to time every single contraction from the first twinge. Start when they feel regular — usually somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes apart and noticeable enough that you stop what you're doing. Time for an hour, write down the pattern, then take a break.

Re-time whenever the pattern changes — closer together, longer, or more intense.

Common Mistakes

Timing end-to-start instead of start-to-start. If you only measure the gap between contractions, you'll underestimate how close together they are.

Timing every single one for hours. You don't need this much data, and the stress of constant timing can make labor feel longer. One hour of timing every few hours is plenty in early labor.

Relying on a phone that locks. A browser tab on a laptop or tablet beats a phone screen that keeps going dark.