How to Time Contractions: Duration, Frequency, and the 5-1-1 Rule

Evergreen guide · Updated July 2026 · Not medical advice — follow your own provider’s instructions and birth plan

At some point in late pregnancy, someone — your OB, your midwife, a childbirth class instructor — will tell you to "call when your contractions are five minutes apart." That sentence hides two measurements and a common point of confusion. This guide explains exactly what to measure, how the widely taught 5-1-1 rule works, how to tell practice contractions from the real thing, and when to stop timing and start dialing. As always: your own provider’s instructions override anything you read here.

The two numbers that matter

Every contraction has two measurements:

Duration — how long a single contraction lasts, from the moment it starts to the moment it fully eases. Typically measured in seconds (often 30–70 seconds as labor progresses).
Frequency — how far apart contractions are, measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. This is the part people get wrong: it is not the gap between contractions, it includes the contraction itself.

Example: if a contraction starts at 8:00:00 and lasts 60 seconds, and the next contraction starts at 8:05:00, your frequency is five minutes and your duration is one minute — even though the "rest" between them was only four minutes.

How to time a contraction

When you feel a contraction begin (a tightening that builds, peaks, and releases), note the exact start time.
Note when it fully eases. That gives you the duration.
Note the start time of the next contraction. Subtracting the two start times gives you the frequency.
Track several in a row — a single interval means little. What matters is whether contractions are becoming longer, stronger, and closer together over an hour or more.

You do not need to time every contraction of early labor for hours on end — that is exhausting and unnecessary. A common-sense approach many educators suggest: time a batch of five or six, note the trend, rest, and repeat when things feel different.

The 5-1-1 rule

The most widely taught benchmark for first babies is 5-1-1: contractions roughly 5 minutes apart, lasting about 1 minute each, sustained for at least 1 hour. Many providers use it as a rough signal that active labor may be approaching and it is time to call. Some practices teach 4-1-1 or 3-1-1 instead, especially for parents who live close to the hospital or are having a second or later baby (subsequent labors are often faster). Ask your provider which rule they want you to use — and write it down before labor starts.

Common benchmarks (always confirm yours with your provider)
Rule	Apart	Lasting	Sustained for
5-1-1	5 minutes	~1 minute	1 hour
4-1-1	4 minutes	~1 minute	1 hour
3-1-1	3 minutes	~1 minute	1 hour

True labor vs. Braxton Hicks

From mid-pregnancy onward, many people feel Braxton Hicks contractions — irregular "practice" tightenings. Distinguishing them from true labor is mostly about pattern:

Braxton Hicks: irregular, do not get progressively closer together or stronger, often ease when you change position, walk, rest, or hydrate, and are usually felt at the front.
True labor contractions: come at increasingly regular intervals, get longer, stronger, and closer together over time, do not stop with rest or position changes, and often radiate from the back around to the front.

This is exactly why timing helps: an hour of honest data usually answers the "is this it?" question better than any single contraction can.

Call your provider right away — regardless of timing — if:

Your water breaks (especially if the fluid is green, brown, or bloody), whether or not you have contractions
You have vaginal bleeding, severe or constant pain, fever, or a severe headache or vision changes
You notice reduced fetal movement
You have regular contractions before 37 weeks — possible preterm labor is always a call-now situation
Anything feels wrong — instinct is a legitimate reason to call a maternity unit

How Awaited helps with contraction timing

Doing start/stop math on paper between contractions is miserable. Awaited’s contraction timer — included in the free tier as an essential safety tool — is a simple tap-to-start timer with automatic duration and frequency calculation, so you can see the trend your provider will ask about instead of scribbling timestamps. Like everything in Awaited, your contraction history is stored 100% locally on your device. The app is a timing tool, not a diagnostic one: the decision to call or go in always belongs to you and your provider.

Download on theApp Store

Quick answers

Should I time contractions from end to start?

No — the standard convention is start-to-start for frequency. End-to-start measures the rest interval, which is a different number and will confuse the conversation with your provider.

How long does early labor usually last?

It varies enormously — from hours to more than a day, especially for first babies. Many providers suggest resting, eating lightly, and hydrating during early labor at home, but follow the plan you agreed with your own care team.

What if my contractions never become regular but feel intense?

Call anyway. Irregular but intense contractions, or any situation that worries you, is worth a phone call — maternity units answer these calls all day and would rather hear from you early.