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One button, one tap per contraction
Duration, interval and the last hour at a glance. The numbers are set large so you can read them in the middle of a contraction.
Free on Android, coming soon to iPhone
The contraction timer for when labor starts
Contraction Timer is a free contraction timer app for your phone. Tap when a contraction starts and again when it eases. The app measures how long each one lasts and how far apart they are, and tells you calmly when it's time to call the hospital.
iPhone app coming soon - No account
- Works offline
- No ads
Online contraction timer
Try the contraction timer right here
Tap the button when a contraction starts and again when it eases. This online contraction counter uses the same rule logic as the app and shows how close you are to 5-1-1.
Once labor really starts, the app is the better choice. It keeps counting when your screen locks, alerts you with the hospital reminder and saves every contraction on your phone.
iPhone app coming soon Ready. Tap as soon as a contraction starts.
- –Interval
- –Duration
- 0Contractions
After three contractions you will see here how far you are from the 5-1-1 rule.
Contractions are only stored in this browser. This timer does not replace medical advice.
When it starts
It is 3 a.m. and your belly is tightening again.
Was that a real contraction? When was the last one? You are standing in the dark kitchen, holding on to the counter, trying to do the math on the clock.
Contraction Timer does the math for you. You tap one big button when it starts and again when it eases. The app keeps every contraction, works out the intervals and lets you know as soon as your pattern matches your hospital’s rule. In the meantime you can look after yourself and your breathing.
How it works
Two taps per contraction, the app does the rest
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A contraction starts
Tap the big button. You can hit it in the dark and with shaking hands.
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It eases off
Tap again. Duration and interval appear right away, along with the average of the last hour.
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Time to call
When your pattern matches your hospital’s rule, such as 5-1-1, the app lets you know. You saved the labor ward number beforehand.
The app
What the app takes off your hands in those hours
Real screens from Contraction Timer, exactly as you see them on your phone.
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The app tells you when it’s time
Set your hospital's rule, for example 5-1-1 or 4-1-1, or enter what your midwife recommended. When the pattern is reached, the app alerts you. You call the labor ward straight from the alert and send your partner a ready-made message with one tap.
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Every contraction on record
The contraction tracker records time, duration, interval and how strong it felt. The full history is free. With Premium you can also export it as a PDF for your midwife or the hospital.
PDF export with Premium
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Breathing for when it gets intense
Guided breathing sets a calm rhythm: in through your nose, a long breath out through your mouth. You choose the pace, and if you like, you feel the rhythm as a vibration.
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Answers for 3 a.m.
Short articles on practice contractions, your water breaking and the hospital bag, plus the warning signs that mean you should call right away.
Get the app while things are still quiet
Use the last weeks to enter your hospital’s rule and the labor ward number. When it starts, everything is already set up.
iPhone app coming soon Scan the code with your phone to get the app.
The 5-1-1 rule
How to tell it’s time to go to the hospital
A common rule of thumb for a first baby is the 5-1-1 rule: contractions come about every five minutes, each lasts about one minute, and they have kept that pattern for about an hour. You measure the interval from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
Some hospitals use 4-1-1 instead, and with a second baby many advise calling earlier. The app knows both rules and you can enter your own values. If your water breaks, you are bleeding or your baby moves less, call right away, whatever the timer shows.
The 5-1-1 rule explainedSources: OHSU: When to come to the hospital, Lamaze: When in labor should you go to the hospital?, NHS: Signs that labour has begun
- every 5 minutes
- 1 minute each
- for 1 hour
Breathing
A rhythm you can hold on to
Breathe in while the circle grows and breathe out for longer while it shrinks. The app starts at a 4 to 6 pace that you can slow down. If you like, you can feel the rhythm as a vibration on your phone and on your watch.
Count from your wrist
With Premium you can start contractions on your watch and feel the breathing guide as a vibration: on Wear OS today, and on Apple Watch together with the iPhone app.
Privacy
Your contractions stay on your phone
Contraction Timer needs no account and no email address. Everything you enter stays on your device.
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No tracking
The app shows no ads and contains no analytics services.
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Offline
It works without signal, including in the car on the way to the hospital.
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Your call
Your history is only shared if you export it yourself.
Free to start, Premium if you want more
The basics stay free, with no ads and no account. Premium is a one-time purchase or weekly, whatever suits your last few weeks.
Free
€0
Forever. No account needed.
- Timer, list, edit contractions
- Clinic reminder with call button
- Complete history
- Running contraction on the lock screen
- 5 in-app articles + warning signs
- 1 breathing exercise
Premium
€5.99 one-time
or try 3 days free, then €1.99/week
- Statistics & charts
- Pattern detection with phase hint
- PDF for midwife & clinic
- Watch app for Wear OS (Apple Watch with the iPhone app)
- Birth record & baby archive
- All breathing exercises
- Full in-app knowledge base
Purchased through the App Store or Google Play. Cancel anytime.
iPhone app coming soon Scan the code with your phone to get the app.
Guide
Ready for the last weeks
Clear articles for the last weeks of pregnancy and for labor. Every article lists its sources, such as ACOG, NHS and NICE guidance.
-
Losing your mucus plug: what it looks like and what it means
What a mucus plug looks like, how it differs from discharge and bloody show, how long until labor starts, and when to call your doctor or midwife.
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Braxton Hicks contractions: what they feel like and how to tell them from labor
Braxton Hicks contractions can start in the second trimester. What they feel like, what triggers them and how to watch the pattern for an hour.
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What do contractions feel like? From early labor to pushing
What do contractions feel like? Early ones often feel like period cramps or a dull backache, then they build in waves. Each stage, back labor, when to call.
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The stages of labor: what happens and how long each lasts
The stages of labor explained: early and active labor, transition, pushing and the placenta, with typical lengths from ACOG and NICE and what helps.
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Signs of labor: how to tell labor is starting
Early signs of labor like the baby dropping, a bloody show and loose stools, the signs that labor has really started, and when to call your provider.
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Hospital bag checklist: what to pack for labor and after
Hospital bag checklist for labor and after: when to pack, what you, your baby and your partner need, and what the hospital usually provides.
Good to know
The questions we get asked most.
Is there a free app to time contractions?
Yes. The timer, your full history, the hospital alert with call button, five in-app articles, the warning signs and one breathing exercise cost nothing. There are no ads and no account. Premium unlocks statistics, pattern detection, PDF export, the watch apps and all breathing exercises, for €5.99 once or €1.99 a week after a three-day free trial.
How do I time contractions correctly?
The interval runs from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. The duration runs from the start to the end of the same contraction. In the app you tap at the start and at the end and it works out both. If the end is hard to tell, you can tap only the start and the app evaluates the interval.
How does the app tell me when it's time to call the hospital?
You set the rule your hospital or midwife gave you: 5-1-1, 4-1-1 or your own values. When your contractions match it, the app alerts you and you can call the labor ward from the alert. Call right away, without waiting for the alert, if your water breaks, you're bleeding or your baby moves less. The same goes for regular contractions before 37 weeks.
Does the app work without internet?
Yes. Everything runs on your phone, so the app needs no signal.
Is Contraction Timer available for iPhone and Apple Watch?
The Android app with its Wear OS app is already on Google Play. The iPhone app with an Apple Watch app is coming to the App Store soon.
Does the app replace my midwife?
No. Contraction Timer helps you record contractions and see the pattern. Whether and when you go to the hospital is something you decide with your midwife or doctor.
Is this a medical app?
No. The app helps you keep a record and does not replace medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you are bleeding, your water breaks, the pain is severe or you are unsure, call your hospital or midwife right away.
What happens to my data?
Your contractions stay on your device. There is no account, no tracking and no analytics. The app only sends crash reports if you switch them on yourself.
When labor starts, your hands are full
Download Contraction Timer today and try the button once. The app is free and needs no account.
iPhone app coming soon Scan the code with your phone to get the app.
