Contraction timer.
Press when a contraction starts and again when it ends. The timer keeps the length of each one and the gap between them, and tells you when the pattern matches the NHS advice to call.
- Contractions
- 0
- Average length (last 3)
- –
- Average gap (last 3)
- –
| # | Started | Length | Gap from previous start |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nothing timed yet. | |||
This tool is educational and does not replace your midwife or doctor. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
When to call your midwife or maternity unit
From the NHS guidance on the signs of labour:
| Call for guidance | Call urgently |
|---|---|
| You think you are in labour, or you are having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often. | Your waters break; you have vaginal bleeding; your baby is moving less than usual; you are under 37 weeks and think you are in labour; any contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes; you are having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes. |
Your own unit may have given you different instructions, for example if this is not your first baby or you live far away. Theirs come first. You can also call if you are simply unsure or worried.
How to time contractions
- Press the button as the tightening starts.
- Press again when it eases.
- Repeat. After three contractions you will see the average length and the average gap between starts.
Have your hospital bag by the door, and hand the phone to your birth partner if timing becomes a distraction.
Questions, answered
When should I go to hospital with contractions?
The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit for guidance if you think you are in labour or you are having regular contractions coming every 5 minutes or more often. They will tell you when to come in.
How do you time contractions?
Time the length from the start of one contraction to its end, and the gap from the start of one to the start of the next. This timer does both from a single button.
When is it urgent?
The NHS says to call your midwife or maternity unit urgently if your waters break, you have vaginal bleeding, your baby is moving less than usual, you are less than 37 weeks pregnant and think you might be in labour, any contraction lasts longer than 2 minutes, or you are having 6 or more contractions every 10 minutes.
What are Braxton Hicks contractions?
The NHS describes them as practice contractions: tightenings you may have had during pregnancy, particularly towards the end. Unlike labour, they do not settle into a regular pattern that gets closer together.
Does this timer work offline?
Yes. Once the page has loaded it runs in your browser and keeps this session's contractions on your device, even if you lock the screen and come back.
Sources
Sources last checked on 11 November 2026.