Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Stages

NewFolks may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

These are the best contraction timers to track the stages of labor

Find out if you're experiencing the real thing or false labor

By

The third trimester of pregnancy is very exciting, but it can also be very stressful! It’s the stage of pregnancy when Braxton Hicks contractions become more and more common, leaving any parent-to-be wondering if they should be heading to the hospital or simply sitting down with their feet up, relaxing. Contractions are the body’s way of preparing for childbirth, and people are told to monitor their contractions to determine when it’s time to finally go to the hospital. It can sometimes be hard to tell if what an expectant person is experiencing is just false labor or the real deal, especially if this is their first baby.

Thanks to smartphones, we now have many options when it comes to timing contractions. Length contraction calculators help people accurately time their contractions as well as record their intensity to help them decide if it’s time for the big event or if their body is simply experiencing Braxton Hicks.

Recommended Videos

Healthline notes that it’s a good time to call your doctor when contractions are 5 minutes apart, last for 1 minute, and have been happening for 1 hour, otherwise known as the 5-1-1 rule. Keep reading to learn how contraction timers can help you during labor, as well as which are the best contraction timers to help you decide when it’s time to go to the hospital.

Related

Full Term contraction timer

Expectant couple timing pregnancy contractions
Andersen Ross Photography Inc / Getty Images

The Full Term contraction timer is touted as one of the most used and trusted contraction timers in the app store thanks to its easy-to-use interface. Full Term features a large green “start” and red “stop” button, making it easy to use, even during more stressful or intense times. The app keeps track of the timing, duration, and frequency of your contractions for you, and it even allows you to set up a “Contraction Alert” based on the 5-1-1 rule. This app also features a fetal kick counter and general pregnancy reference information for use throughout your pregnancy.

Full Term is available for download for free with the option for in-app purchases on both Apple and Android devices.

9M contraction timer and counter

Pregnant woman using contraction timer app
Oscar Wong / Getty Images

The 9M contraction timer and counter is another super easy-to-use app that allows you to effortlessly track your contractions. The app features start and stop buttons that allow you to document when your contractions start and stop as well as analyze the data to suggest when it may be time to go to the hospital, based on the duration and frequency of your contractions.

The 9M counter and contraction timer are available for download for free, with the option for in-app purchases on both Apple and Android devices.

Time Labor contraction timer

Pregnant woman on couch holding her stomach
Tomsickova Tatyana / Shutterstock

Time Labor is an easy-to-use contraction timer that you start with the press of a button and can be stopped by pressing anywhere on your screen (which is handy if your contractions are getting more intense!). This app is intended to help you keep track of the times, durations, and frequency of the entire labor period. It also features handy visual cues that let you note the intensity of each contraction as well as a section to add notes to each contraction.

Time Labor is available for download for free on both Apple and Android devices.

BabyCenter pregnancy tracker

Dad kissing baby belly
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The BabyCenter pregnancy tracker is an app that any expectant mother will refer to throughout her pregnancy. In addition to a handy contraction timer that allows you to monitor your progress when labor begins, it also helps guide the expectant mom through all the stages of her pregnancy. This app allows you to track your baby’s growth using 3-D fetal development videos, highlights pregnancy symptoms, provides advice, and has fun elements like baby naming suggestions, weekly polls, and a place to upload your baby bump pics to document your progress.

BabyCenter Pregnancy Tracker is available for download for free on both Apple and Android devices.

WebMD pregnancy tracker

A pregnant person, sitting in profile, holding a smartphone
Syda Productions / Adobe Stock

The WebMD pregnancy tracker is another app that not only provides an easy-to-use contraction counter but also tools that are useful throughout your entire pregnancy. It contains more than 900 doctor-approved articles, videos, slideshows and quizzes, safety tips, and expert-curated checklists to guide you from the first trimester through delivery. In addition to the contraction counter, this app also features a symptom tracker, a weight and blood pressure tracker, and a kick counter.

The WebMD pregnancy tracker is available for download for free on Apple devices.

Storky contraction timer

Man and pregnant woman sit on bed looking at a smartphone
x

The Storky contraction timer is another straightforward app that allows you to record your contractions. It has a simple one-button start and stop interface that will record your contractions and also provide you with information on your contractions. The timing and interval lengths are all displayed in one place so you are able to see your progress and share it with your doctor or other health professional to get accurate medical advice on when it’s time to head to the hospital or prepare for the birth.

The Storky contraction timer is available for download for free with the option for in-app purchases on Apple devices.

Contraction timers are a really easy way to track the different stages of labor and help you decide when it’s time to call the doctor. With a variety of different apps to choose from at little to no cost, there’s something that will work for everyone.

Editors’ Recommendations

Topics
Kelli Catana
Kelli Catana
Contributor
Kelli is a freelance writer who has covered the world of entertainment, pop culture, parenting, and lifestyle for various…
Feeling movement down low? Here’s what it could mean for your pregnancy
Don't worry if your baby is kicking your lower abdomen
Woman making a heart with hands over Post partum belly

Feeling your baby kick is a major pregnancy milestone and is nothing short of awe-inducing. Although you'll start to feel those first few kicks sometime in your second trimester, they will grow in force and intensity as you go into your final trimester, and you might also feel more formidable pressure in your growing belly.

Pregnancy brings a lot of questions, including why you are feeling pressure in your lower abdomen. This may feel odd, but rest assured, there are plenty of logical reasons for this and you shouldn't panic over feeling the baby kicking low.
Why am I feeling my baby's movement in my lower abdomen?

Read more
Is your baby done with breastfeeding? Watch for these 6 signs
Clues to look out for that your baby is ready to move on from breastfeeding
Mother holding her baby in bed

When you make the decision to breastfeed, it is a whole journey you and your baby go on together. But as with all stages, breastfeeding, too, will come to an end at some point. It's better to know the clues and tells your baby will give to be prepared for the newest adventure. If you're doing baby-led weaning, these are the signs your baby does not want to breastfeed anymore, so you know when it's time to transition to the next stage of feeding.
Signs to watch for during feedings

The feedings themselves will sprinkle clues your baby is ready to ditch breastfeeding for good. If something feels off about the feeds, start paying attention each time you go to sit down for a session.
Feeding sessions become shorter
You know how long your baby eats at each session. When you notice your baby not wanting to feed for the usual time, you might start to worry they're not getting enough to eat. But your baby cutting down on the duration of each meal is a clue they might want to stop breastfeeding.
Baby skips feeding sessions
This is more than your baby finally sleeping longer and missing a feeding in the middle of the night. If you notice your baby refusing those additional snack time feedings, they may be telling you they don't want to breastfeed anymore. Offer a bottle or sippy cup or solid food and see how they react to taking those options. Once the feedings become shorter and then get skipped, your baby has sent strong signals they are over breastfeeding.
Baby gets more distracted during feedings
Babies love to look at everything and check out every sound, but when it comes time to eat, they usually mean business. If your little one is looking around the room, playing with their hands, or generally more interested in what's going on around them than eating, that is a sign they are done breastfeeding.
Other feeding signs to watch for

Read more
5 natural ways to boost energy while pregnant: It’s not that difficult
How to get through pregnancy fatigue
Pregnant woman on couch experiencing cramps

Any person who has ever been pregnant knows that pregnancy-tired is a whole other level of exhaustion. It's only natural that your body would be extra tired, after all, it's growing a little human being, which takes a lot of work. That doesn't make the sudden lack of energy any less annoying, especially in the first trimester, when you’re not sleeping as much, you may not be able to keep food down, your hormones are working overtime, and your body is using all of the nutrients possible to do this new job that you’ve tasked it with.

In your pre-pregnancy days, if you felt this tired you may have immediately reached for a cup of coffee or an energy drink. But since those are mostly out of the question now, how can you fight through the tired, so you can go about living your daily life?

Read more