Step 1
Open Contractions
Tap + Log, then Contractions. From week 36 it is in your five, and before that you can pin it from More.
Contraction timer
A contraction timer with your provider's rule on screen
Tap when a contraction starts and again when it ends. The timer keeps the length of each one, the gap since the last and how many came in the past hour, under the rule your midwife or doctor gave you.
The short answer
The contraction timer in Her Good Days records each contraction with one tap to start and one to stop. It shows the length, the gap since the previous one and the count in the last hour.
You can type in the rule your provider gave you, for example "call at 5-1-1", and it stays on the timer. Under the Start button sits one general line, the same one the NHS gives: if contractions come regularly, about 5 minutes apart or closer, call your midwife or doctor. It is free and works offline.
How do I time a contraction?
Step 2
Tap Start when one begins
Tap again when it ends. The app keeps the length, the gap since the last one and the count in the past hour.
Step 3
Call when it is time
Under the button sits the NHS line: regular contractions about 5 minutes apart or closer, call your midwife or doctor.
What the timer records
| Field | How you get it |
|---|---|
| Length | From your start tap to your stop tap |
| Gap | From the start of the previous contraction to the start of this one |
| Count in the last hour | Worked out as you go |
| Strength | Mild, moderate or severe, one tap after you stop |
| Waters broken | A switch you flip when it happens |
| Note | Anything you or your birth partner want to remember |
When does the timer appear?
From week 36 it is first in your Log menu. Before that you can pin it from More. After you time a contraction, Contractions stays at the top of the menu for the next 2 hours, so it is one tap away when the next one comes.
Under the list, the timer sums up the last hour: how many, the average gap and the average length. When they come regularly about 5 minutes apart, it says this is a good time to call your midwife or doctor.
Whose rule does the timer show?
Two lines. The general one is from the NHS: call your midwife or maternity unit if contractions come regularly, 5 minutes apart or less.[1][2] Your own unit may give you a different rule, because it depends on your pregnancy, how far you live from the hospital and whether this is your first baby. Type theirs once in the Pregnancy settings and it is printed above the timer from then on.
Past sessions stay in a list with the date, the count in the last hour, the average gap and the average length, under the line to follow your own team's rule.
The NHS also says to call straight away, even at night, if your waters break, if you are bleeding, if your baby is moving less, or if contractions last more than 2 minutes or come 6 or more times in 10 minutes.[1][2]
Timing from your wrist
On Apple Watch and Wear OS the timer is a single large button: tap at the start, tap at the end. It is easier than holding a phone during a contraction, and each one is saved to the phone.
Related
Questions
When should I go to the hospital?
When your midwife, doctor or birth unit says so. Ask them for their rule at a late-pregnancy appointment, type it into the timer, and call them whenever you are unsure. If you are worried, call emergency services.
How do you time contractions?
Start timing when a contraction begins and stop when it ends. That gives its length. The gap is measured from the start of one contraction to the start of the next, and the app works out both for you.
Does the timer work without internet?
Yes. It runs on your phone, and on the watch, with no connection needed.
Is the contraction timer free?
Yes. It is part of the free Pregnancy mini app, with no account needed.
Sources
- NHS: Signs that labour has begun Checked October 30, 2026
- MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine): Am I in labor? Checked October 30, 2026
Spotted an error? Write to [email protected]. How we check health information.