As your due date approaches, one question starts to feel more real: How will you know when it’s time to go to the hospital? While every labor is different, tracking contractions is one of the best ways to understand whether labor is progressing.
Labor contraction timer apps make it easy to record contraction length, frequency, and intensity without relying on a stopwatch or trying to do math during labor. Some apps even alert you when it may be time to contact your provider or head to the hospital.
We tested several popular labor contraction apps and reviewed their features, ease of use, and overall experience to help you find the right option for your birth.
Key Takeaways
- Labor contraction timer apps help track contraction frequency, duration, and intensity.
- Some apps offer labor alerts when contractions become more consistent.
- Simple timer apps work well for many moms, while others include additional pregnancy tools.
- The best app depends on how much information and guidance you want during labor.
- Tracking contractions can help you decide when to contact your provider or head to the hospital.
Timing Labor Contractions
A labor contraction is when the uterus tightens, and it feels like a cramp or pressure in your uterus and sometimes in your back. When timing your contractions, start when you feel several in a row. If the tightness lasts at least 30 seconds, they’re likely labor contractions. In which case, you count the minutes between each one.3 To time your contractions, you can do it the old-fashioned way with a clock or watch, or you can use one of the many apps available. We recommend this because it takes the work out of logging and figuring out the length of each.
Related: What Do Contractions Feel Like? What You Need To Know About Labor Pains
Best Labor Contraction Timer Apps
The best labor contraction timer app depends on what you’re looking for. Some parents want a simple timer, while others prefer apps that track contraction intensity, provide labor alerts, or include additional pregnancy tools. The apps below are among the most popular options available for Apple and Android devices.
1. 9m Contraction Timer & Counter
This straightforward, user-friendly app tracks contractions and effectively alerts you when it is time to go to the hospital in labor. As soon as you open the app, you can purchase an ad-free experience for $2.99. We opted not to make that purchase and instead used the free version.
The simple-to-use 9m Contraction Timer & Counter prompts you to tap when a contraction begins. You press it to start and stop. At the top, the app keeps track of the number of contractions you have had in the past hour.
As we tested the app by quickly starting and stopping contractions, it alerted us that the contractions were not following the pattern of active labor and that we should contact our physician. After that message, an ad came on the screen. This could be frustrating if you were trying to measure your contractions. It would probably be worth the $2.99 for the ad-free version if you were really in labor.
The app claims to be the world’s number one contraction timer. According to the app, it is the most downloaded contraction timer in the US, UK, Australia, and Canada. It’s available for Apple and Android devices and has an average rating of 4.8 stars.
Best for: Parents who want labor alerts and a simple contraction timer.
Related: When To Go to the Hospital in Labor
2. Contraction Timer-Time Labor
Contraction Timer-Time Labor lauds itself as a “pediatrician-approved timer.” When you open the app, you can start timing a contraction immediately. It also lets you choose the intensity of your contractions. The timer counts the time between your contractions with a ticker under the word “Start.” You tap that to begin timing the next contraction.
The app lets you keep notes on your contractions, including intensity and other feelings, but it does not suggest when you should go to the hospital. It is simply a timer. It is available for Apple and Android devices and has an average of 4.6 stars.
Best for: Parents who want a basic contraction timer with note-taking features.
Related: What to Do in Early Labor: 6 Tips to Stay Calm and Prepared
3. Full Term
Full Term has an average review of 4.8 stars and is more than just a contraction timer. You can use it throughout your pregnancy. Full Term allows you to track your weight during pregnancy and can be used as a kick counter. Like other apps, Full Term offers a place to tap to start and will record contractions for the last hour and the previous six hours.
You can record the intensity of your contractions and add other notes by tapping it. The app does not give you a countdown between contractions or notify you when it thinks you should go to the hospital. However, it keeps track of contraction frequency, which is super helpful. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.
Best for: Parents looking for a contraction timer that also includes pregnancy tracking tools.
Related: Best Positions for Active Labor
4. Storky
Storky has been around for more than 12 years and has an average of 4.8 stars. Storky times your contractions and the intervals between your contractions. This allows Storky to be a more intuitive app and can offer you more information about your labor. When contractions are more frequent and closer, Storky alerts you that it might be time to go to the hospital.
The app is highly user-friendly and has a companion app, Baby Monitor Bibino: Nanny Cam, that can be used after birth. The app is available for Apple and Android devices.
Best for: Parents who want labor alerts and more detailed contraction tracking.
Related: Signs of Labor: How To Know When Baby Is Coming
5. Pregnancy Tracker
This app from BabyCenter includes far more than a contraction timer. It has everything from a baby kick counter to suggestions for baby names to a contraction timer. It has 4.9 stars and has been around for over 12 years.
The tracker is simple: it records the start and end times of your contractions, and the time in between. It is cut-and-dry and very easy to use. The app doesn’t tell you when to go to the hospital in labor, but it is simple and does the job.
The app can be used from pregnancy through childhood, offering parents tips on sleep, potty training, and more. It is an all-in-one app that supports parents from pregnancy through childhood. It’s available for Apple and Android devices.
Best for: Parents who want an all-in-one pregnancy and parenting app with a built-in contraction timer.
What Will You Do When Labor Actually Starts?
A contraction timer can help you track labor. But once those contractions start getting stronger and closer together, you’ll also want to know what to do next.
How do you cope with contractions? Which labor positions help? When should you change positions, use comfort measures, or ask questions? How can your partner support you?
That’s exactly why we created the SOAR Pregnancy & Birth Prep Challenge inside the Baby Chick App, to help parents feel prepared for what happens after labor begins.
Inside SOAR, you’ll learn how to:
- Recognize the stages of labor and know when it’s the real thing
- Use movement, breathing, and comfort tools during contractions
- Try labor positions that help baby descend and labor progress
- Understand your options and advocate for yourself during birth
- Teach your partner how to support you when labor gets intense
With short daily lessons, practical exercises, downloadable tools, and partner support resources, SOAR helps you feel prepared and clear on what to do when labor begins.
When it’s go time, you want to be prepared. Having these apps downloaded on your mobile device is a great way to be ready when things get real.
Finding the right labor contraction app comes down to your preferences, whether you want a simple timer or more detailed tracking. Having one downloaded and ready to go can help you feel more prepared when labor begins.
