In short
The interval runs from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, and it usually shrinks as labor goes on. With a first baby, OHSU says to come in once contractions are 5 minutes apart for an hour. Each should last about a minute (the 5-1-1 rule). After a previous birth, OHSU, Kaiser Permanente and Boston Medical Center set their thresholds between 5 and 10 minutes apart. One interval says little on its own, so look for a pattern that stays regular and gets longer and stronger.
Contents
Ready. Tap as soon as a contraction starts.
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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.
You’ve been watching the clock for a while now. Ten minutes, then eight, now maybe five. What that gap means depends mostly on whether it’s steady and whether this is your first baby.
The interval is measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. For a first baby, OHSU uses the 5-1-1 rule. You come in once contractions have been 5 minutes apart for an hour, each lasting about a minute. Other hospitals use similar numbers. If you’ve given birth before, the hospital guidelines below ask you to call sooner.
How “minutes apart” is measured
Contraction frequency runs from the start of one contraction to the start of the next (OHSU, Cleveland Clinic). If one contraction starts at 11:40 p.m. and the next at 11:48 p.m., they’re 8 minutes apart, however long each one lasted. The rest between contractions is shorter, because it only begins once a contraction ends. If you time only the rests, contractions will seem closer together than they are.
For step-by-step instructions, see how to time contractions. If you’d rather not do the math in the middle of a contraction, the online contraction timer here works out the interval for you. The Contraction Timer app also shows the average of the last hour and alerts you when your pattern reaches your rule. How the app calculates explains how it computes intervals and checks the rule.
How the gap between contractions changes during labor
Early on, contractions often come irregularly or start and stop (Kaiser Permanente). The NHS says there’s no set pattern in this latent stage. It can take many hours, or even days, before you’re in established labor. As labor progresses, contractions tend to become longer, stronger and more frequent (NHS).
Typical numbers from three health services:
| Stage | How far apart | How long each lasts | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early labor | Irregular, may start and stop | About 30 to 45 seconds | Kaiser Permanente |
| Active labor | Every 3 to 5 minutes | 40 to 70 seconds | Cleveland Clinic |
| Active labor | Every 2 to 3 minutes | 50 to 60 seconds | healthdirect |
The two active-labor rows come from different services and don’t match exactly. They’re typical ranges, and your labor may not follow them. The contraction chart shows typical values for each stage, and the stages of labor explains what happens in each phase.
What each interval usually means
These notes assume a full-term pregnancy without complications. Under 37 weeks, OHSU asks you to contact your provider immediately at the first signs of labor, whatever the interval.
Infographic
What each interval usually means
| First baby | Had a baby before | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 min apart | no first-baby rule sends you in yet, as long as you and your baby are doing well | OHSU: call when they are 5 to 10 minutes apart for an hour |
| 7 min apart | still a longer gap than any first-baby threshold; check your bag and your ride | Kaiser Permanente and OHSU: time to go in |
| 5 min apart | 5-1-1: come in once they have been 5 minutes apart for an hour, each about 1 minute (OHSU) | meets every later-baby threshold: call now |
| 3 min apart | call your provider or head in as you've planned | call your provider or head in as you've planned |
Contractions 10 minutes apart
Regular contractions about 10 minutes apart can be a sign that labor is starting. Cleveland Clinic says true labor contractions get closer together over time, for example every 15 minutes, then every 10. For a first baby, none of the hospital guidelines in the table below sends you in at 10 minutes apart. That holds as long as you and your baby are doing well. Kaiser Permanente suggests getting through early labor at home with music, a walk or a warm shower, resting or sleeping if it’s night, and drinking water and eating lightly to keep up your energy.
If you’ve had a baby before, OHSU says to call at 5 to 10 minutes apart for an hour. So regular contractions every 10 minutes for an hour are a reason to call.
Contractions 7 minutes apart
For a second or later baby, two of the three hospital guidelines below say it’s time to go in. Kaiser Permanente says to go in when contractions come every 5 to 7 minutes, if you’ve had children before. Each should last at least 45 to 60 seconds. OHSU’s range for later babies is 5 to 10 minutes. Boston Medical Center’s later-baby rule is 5 to 6 minutes apart.
For a first baby, 7 minutes apart is still a longer gap than any first-baby threshold in the table below. It’s a good moment to check that your hospital bag and your ride are ready.
Contractions 5 minutes apart
Several first-baby guidelines are built around this number. OHSU uses the 5-1-1 rule: contractions 5 minutes apart for 1 hour, each lasting about 1 minute. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit once regular contractions come every 5 minutes or more often. If you’ve given birth before, 5 minutes apart meets every later-baby threshold below, so call now.
Contractions 5 minutes apart that are short or barely painful are worth timing a little longer. ACOG describes true labor contractions as getting steadily stronger and lasting about 60 to 90 seconds. False contractions are weak and don’t get much stronger. healthdirect adds that Braxton Hicks contractions are often irregular but may become regular. They usually last around 30 seconds. If they keep coming, get stronger or you’re unsure, call.
Contractions 3 minutes apart
Cleveland Clinic describes active labor contractions as coming every 3 to 5 minutes. It says it’s generally time to head in once they last about 60 seconds at that rate. Kaiser Permanente’s first-baby guideline is contractions every 3 to 5 minutes for an hour. They should be too painful to talk or walk through. If yours are regularly 3 minutes apart, call your provider or head in as you’ve planned.
The NHS says to call urgently if you’re having 6 or more contractions in 10 minutes. The same applies if any contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes.
How far apart should contractions be to go to the hospital?
There’s no single number. Hospitals and health services give different thresholds:
| Source | First baby | Had a baby before |
|---|---|---|
| OHSU | 5 minutes apart for 1 hour, each about 1 minute (5-1-1) | 5 to 10 minutes apart for 1 hour |
| Boston Medical Center | At least every 4 minutes, each about 1 minute, for at least 1 hour (4-1-1) | 5 to 6 minutes apart |
| Kaiser Permanente | Every 3 to 5 minutes for 1 hour, at least 45 to 60 seconds, too painful to talk or walk through | Every 5 to 7 minutes, at least 45 to 60 seconds |
| NHS (UK) | Call when regular contractions come every 5 minutes or more often | No separate rule given |
| healthdirect (Australia) | Contact your birth unit at 2 or more painful, regular contractions in 10 minutes | No separate rule given |
Cleveland Clinic notes that providers use different criteria and suggests discussing yours weeks before your due date. Ask at a prenatal visit which rule your hospital uses, and factor in how long the drive takes. The article on when to go to the hospital walks through the decision.
Why a steady pattern matters more than one number
One 5-minute gap can be a fluke. ACOG describes true labor contractions as coming at regular intervals, getting closer together over time and continuing whether you rest or move around. False contractions have no pattern and may stop when you walk, rest or change position. ACOG suggests timing your contractions and noting whether they continue when you rest and drink water.
OHSU, Boston Medical Center and Kaiser Permanente all ask for an hour-long pattern with a first baby. Even a steady pattern doesn’t prove the cervix is opening, though. ACOG notes that sometimes only a vaginal exam can tell true labor from false labor. Kaiser Permanente says it’s common to go in during early labor and be sent home again until active labor starts.
How much longer until the baby comes?
No one can tell you from the interval alone. The NHS says it can take many hours, or even days, before you’re in established labor. That starts when the cervix has dilated to about 4 cm. From there, full dilation usually takes 8 to 18 hours in a first pregnancy (NHS). In a second or third pregnancy, it’s often around 5 to 12 hours. ACOG’s typical length for a whole first labor is 12 to 18 hours, and 8 to 10 for later ones.
Your midwife or doctor can tell you more after checking your cervix. Until then, the clock can show you whether your pattern is still building.
Call right away, whatever your contractions are doing
Don't wait for a pattern if any of these apply. Call your midwife, provider or labor ward right away, day or night. The list follows the NHS and ACOG.
- Your water breaks, even if you're not having contractions.
- The fluid is colored or smells bad.
- You're bleeding from your vagina. A little blood in the mucus plug can be part of it; call if there's more.
- Your baby is moving less than usual.
- You have constant, severe pain that doesn't ease between contractions.
- You have a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher.
- You're less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labor.
- Any contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes, or you're having 6 or more contractions in 10 minutes.
- You're unsure or worried. You can call anytime.
Call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 999 in the UK) if you have a strong urge to push and think your baby is coming now.
Sources for this list: NHS: Signs that labour has begun (2023); NHS: Pregnancy symptoms you need to get help for; ACOG: How to tell when labor begins
Frequently asked questions
How dilated am I if contractions are 5 minutes apart?
You can't tell from the timing alone. ACOG notes that sometimes only a vaginal exam can tell true labor from false labor, by finding changes in your cervix. Your timing notes still help. healthdirect says your midwife or doctor may ask how long contractions last, how strong they feel and how often they come. This helps them see how labor is progressing.
Should I go to the hospital when contractions are 5 minutes apart?
For a first baby, OHSU says to come in once contractions have been 5 minutes apart for an hour. Each should last about a minute. The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit once regular contractions come every 5 minutes or more often. After a previous birth, OHSU, Kaiser Permanente and Boston Medical Center set their thresholds between 5 and 10 minutes apart. So at 5 minutes, it's time to call. If your own hospital has given you different instructions, follow those.
How far apart are contractions in early labor?
There's no fixed pattern. In early labor, contractions often come irregularly or start and stop (Kaiser Permanente). They usually last about 30 to 45 seconds. The NHS says the latent stage has no set pattern and can take many hours or even days.
Is it normal for contractions to be 5 minutes apart but not painful?
Regular contractions aren't always labor. healthdirect notes that Braxton Hicks contractions are usually painless and often irregular, but may become regular. ACOG describes true labor contractions as getting steadily stronger. Keep timing, rest and drink some water, and call your provider if they continue, get stronger or you're unsure.
How long after contractions are 3 minutes apart will the baby come?
No one can predict it from the interval. Once established labor begins, full dilation usually takes 8 to 18 hours in a first pregnancy (NHS). In a second or third, it's often around 5 to 12 hours. The pushing stage follows. If your contractions are regularly 3 minutes apart, call your provider or head in as planned.
Sources
- OHSU Center for Women's Health: When to come to the hospital
- Cleveland Clinic: Contractions (2024)
- Kaiser Permanente: When should you go to the hospital? (2022)
- Boston Medical Center: How to tell if you're in labor
- healthdirect Australia: Giving birth, contractions (2025)
- ACOG: How to tell when labor begins (2025)
- NHS: Signs that labour has begun (2023)
- NHS: The stages of labour and birth (2023)
This article does not replace medical advice. When in doubt, call your hospital or midwife, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (911 in the US, 999 in the UK, 112 in the EU).
