Free, no sign-up, in your browser or as an app
Contraction timer
A free contraction timer, counter and labor tracker in one. Tap once when a contraction starts and once when it ends; it shows how long each one lasts, how far apart they are, and whether the contraction pattern is getting closer together.
Your record stays on your device. Add it to your home screen to use it like an app.
Free app for iOS and Android
Scan a code with your phone, or tap a card to open the store.
One tap to start, one tap to stop
Nothing to type between contractions. The timer counts duration and the interval from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, which is how midwives and doctors want it measured.
Counter, tracker and calculator in one
Every contraction goes into a running log with duration and frequency, and the contraction calculator works out the average interval over the last hour, so you can read it out to your provider instead of working it out from scraps of paper.
No account, no ads, nothing to install
The timer is a web page, so it opens on any phone, tablet or laptop with nothing to download. Nothing is uploaded and there is no sign-up, so it works at 3 a.m. with no setup. Prefer a real app icon? The same timer is free on the App Store and Google Play as Magic Contraction Timer.
Hand it to your partner
Whoever is holding the phone can keep timing. The history is on the device, and you can share a summary card when the baby arrives.
Step by step
How to time contractions
How do you time contractions? You are measuring two things: how long each contraction lasts (contraction duration) and how far apart they are (contraction frequency). Frequency is counted from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, not from the end of one to the start of the next. How to count contractions, how to track contractions, how to time labor contractions: it is all the same four steps.
- 1
Start the timer when the tightening begins
Press start at the first moment you feel the contraction build, not at its peak. If you are using the Little Magic timer, that is one tap.
- 2
Stop it when the tightening fully releases
Press stop when your belly is soft again. The timer records the duration. Early labor contractions often last 30 to 45 seconds; active labor contractions last 45 to 70 seconds.
- 3
Repeat, and watch the interval
The gap from the start of this contraction to the start of the next one is the frequency. Time five or six in a row before drawing conclusions. One short gap means little; a steady pattern over an hour means a lot.
- 4
Time for an hour, then rest
You do not have to time every contraction for the whole labor. Time for an hour when the pattern seems to be changing, then put the phone down and rest until it changes again.
The rule of thumb
The 5-1-1 rule (and 4-1-1, 3-1-1)
5
minutes apart, start to start
1
minute long, each contraction
1
hour of that steady pattern
The 5-1-1 rule is the most common shorthand for when a first labor is established enough to head to the hospital or birth center: contractions 5 minutes apart, each lasting 1 minute, for at least 1 hour. The timer shows all three numbers at once.
Some providers prefer 4-1-1 (4 minutes apart) or, for people with a previous fast birth, 3-1-1. Others want to hear from you earlier, for example if you are group B strep positive, planning a repeat cesarean, or live far from the hospital. Whatever rule your provider gave you overrides any rule of thumb here.
Reading the pattern
How far apart should contractions be? Early, active and transition labor
Labor contractions follow a pattern, and the pattern is what the timer reads. These are typical ranges for a first baby; later labors often move faster, and your own may not match any row exactly.
| Stage | How far apart | How long each lasts | What it feels like |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early labor (latent labor) | 5 to 20 minutes apart, often irregular | 30 to 45 seconds | Like strong period cramps or a low backache that comes and goes. You can usually talk through them. |
| Active labor | 3 to 5 minutes apart, regular | 45 to 70 seconds | Stronger, closer together and demanding your full attention. Talking through one is hard. |
| Transition | 2 to 3 minutes apart | 60 to 90 seconds | Intense, with little rest between. Usually the shortest phase, just before pushing. |
- Contractions 20 or 15 minutes apart
- Very early labor or prodromal labor. Eat, drink, rest. Keep an eye on the pattern over the next few hours.
- Contractions 10 minutes apart
- Early labor if they are regular and building. For a first baby, usually still time at home; for a later baby, call your provider.
- Contractions 7 minutes apart
- Early labor moving along. Pack the last things, let your birth partner know, call if your provider asked you to at this point.
- Contractions 5 minutes apart
- The 5-1-1 threshold once they last a minute and have for an hour. Time to call and head in for most first-time parents.
- Contractions 3 minutes apart
- Active labor. If you are not at your birth place yet, go now.
- Contractions 2 minutes apart
- Late active labor or transition. Call ahead so they expect you; if you are far away, call emergency services for advice.
Do not wait for the numbers
When to go to the hospital or call your midwife
Call your maternity unit, midwife or doctor straight away, whatever the timer says, if:
- Your water breaks, especially if the fluid is green, brown or smells unusual.
- You are bleeding bright red like a period, not just a pink or brown show.
- You feel fewer or weaker baby movements than usual.
- You are under 37 weeks and having regular contractions.
- You have a severe headache, vision changes, or sudden swelling of the face or hands.
- The contractions are so strong you cannot talk through them, however far apart they are.
Otherwise, when to go to the hospital in labor comes down to the pattern: for a first baby, go in once contractions meet the 5-1-1 pattern; for a second or later baby, call when they are regular and about 5 to 7 minutes apart, since later labors tend to move faster. If you are unsure how far apart contractions should be before hospital for your situation, call: maternity units expect these calls and would rather hear from you early.
Is this it?
What do contractions feel like? Signs of labor to watch for
What do labor contractions feel like? Most people describe a tightening that starts low in the back or belly, builds to a peak and fades, like a wave. Early contractions feel like strong period cramps or a dull backache; the whole belly goes hard under your hand. As labor progresses they become longer, stronger and closer together, and that progression, not the pain of any one contraction, is the real sign.
Contractions in pregnancy are not all labor. Braxton Hicks (see below) and prodromal labor can go on for days. The timer helps because it shows the one thing that separates them from the real thing: a pattern that keeps tightening over an hour.
Early signs of labor (or labour, if you are reading from the UK)
- Contractions that become regular and get closer together, longer and stronger over an hour (the timer shows this).
- A "show": the mucus plug, often pink- or brown-tinged, coming away.
- Your water breaking, as a gush or a steady trickle. Note the time and the colour, and call your provider even if you have no contractions yet.
- Low backache or period-like cramping that comes and goes in waves.
- Loose bowels, nausea, or a burst of nesting energy in the day or two before.
- The baby dropping lower (lightening), which can make breathing easier and bathroom trips more frequent.
Signs labor is near, like the show or the baby dropping, can come days before contractions start, so they are not a reason to go in on their own. Regular, strengthening contractions, or your water breaking, are.
Practice or the real thing
Braxton Hicks vs real contractions
Braxton Hicks contractions are practice contractions, common from the second trimester on. How to tell if contractions are real: the difference between Braxton Hicks and labor contractions is mostly in the pattern over time, not in any single contraction, which is what the timer shows.
| Braxton Hicks | Labor contractions | |
|---|---|---|
| Timing | Irregular, do not get closer together | Regular and getting closer together |
| Duration | Varies, often short | Gets longer, usually 30 to 70 seconds |
| Strength | Stays about the same, usually uncomfortable rather than painful | Gets stronger each hour |
| Movement | Often stop when you walk, change position, drink water or rest | Carry on whatever you do |
| Where you feel it | Front of the belly | Often starts in the back and wraps around to the front |
False labor contractions and prodromal labor are the same idea: contractions that feel real but do not settle into a progressing pattern. True labor vs false labor comes down to one test: time them for an hour. If they are irregular and fade when you move, they are very likely not established labor yet.
Free app for iOS and Android
Scan a code with your phone, or tap a card to open the store.
Questions
Contraction timer FAQ
Is this contraction timer really free?
Yes. There is nothing to buy, no premium tier and no ads. Little Magic makes personalized baby songs; the timer is a gift to parents on the way to meeting their baby.
Do I need to download an app or create an account?
No. It runs in the browser on any phone, tablet or computer, with no sign-up and no login. If you would rather have an app, Magic Contraction Timer is free on the App Store and Google Play; otherwise add the web timer to your home screen so it opens like an app and keeps working offline once loaded.
Where is my contraction history stored?
On your device only, in the browser's own storage. Nothing is sent to a server, so no one at Little Magic can see it. Clearing your browser data will clear the history, so keep the same browser until the baby arrives.
Is this a contraction timer, a contraction counter or a labor timer?
All of them. Contraction timer, contraction counter, contraction tracker, labor timer, birth timer: they all describe the same job, timing each contraction and tracking the pattern over the hour. People also search for a contraction calculator or contraction monitor; the interval and average frequency it shows are what those mean.
What does "contractions 5 minutes apart" mean?
Five minutes from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. If a contraction lasts one minute, you get about four minutes of rest between them. The timer measures start to start automatically.
What if my contractions are 10 minutes apart?
Contractions 10 minutes apart that are regular and getting stronger are a typical sign of early labor. For a first baby there is usually time to eat, rest and shower; most providers want to hear from you when they reach 5 minutes apart. For a second or later baby, call your provider now.
How far apart are contractions in early labor?
Anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes apart, and often irregular at first: 12 minutes, then 8, then 15. That irregularity is normal in the latent phase. What matters is the trend over an hour or two, which the timer's history makes obvious.
How long do contractions last?
Early labor contractions often last 30 to 45 seconds. In active labor they lengthen to 45 to 70 seconds, and in transition they can reach 60 to 90 seconds. A contraction that lasts longer than two minutes, or that does not fully release, is a reason to call your provider.
What is the 511 rule for contractions, and what about 411?
511 rule contractions means 5 minutes apart, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour. The 411 rule labor guideline is the same with 4 minutes apart, which some providers prefer so you arrive a little further along. Your provider will tell you which they use.
My water broke but I have no contractions. What now?
Call your provider now, even with no contractions. Note the time it broke and the colour of the fluid. Many people start contracting within hours; if not, your provider will talk you through options, since the risk of infection rises the longer the waters have been broken. Keep the timer open so you can report when contractions do start.
Should I time from start to start or end to start?
Start to start. Frequency is the time between the beginnings of two contractions, which is what the 5-1-1 rule and your provider refer to. The timer does this for you.
Is there a contraction timer app for iPhone or Android?
Yes. Magic Contraction Timer is the same free timer as a native app: on the App Store for iPhone and on Google Play for Android, with no sign-up. If you would rather not install anything, open the web timer in Safari or Chrome and add it to your home screen; it opens full-screen like an app, keeps your history, and works offline.
Can my partner or doula use it on their phone?
Yes. Whoever is most able to tap the button should run the timer. Because the history lives on the device that recorded it, pick one phone for the labor and keep using it.
Does it work for a home birth or on the way to the hospital?
Yes. Once the page has loaded it works without a connection, so it keeps timing in the car or anywhere the signal drops.
Is this medical advice?
No. The timer measures and records; it cannot tell you whether you are in labor. The rules of thumb on this page follow published ACOG and NHS guidance, but your own midwife or doctor knows your pregnancy, and their instructions come first.
A song for the day they arrive
Little Magic makes personalized songs from your baby's name and your story. Many parents order one while they wait, so it is ready for the first lullaby at home.