BirthtideHow to choose a contraction timer app
Nine things to check before labor: start-to-start timing, one-handed use, saving offline, no pop-ups, privacy, a rule you choose, reports for your midwife and the price.
Most contraction timer apps do the same basic job: you tap when a contraction starts and again when it eases. The differences show at 3 a.m., half asleep, with one hand free. Install an app a few weeks before your due date, try it for a minute, and check these points.
Nine things to check
- Frequency from start to start. Care teams ask how far apart contractions are, counted from the start of one to the start of the next. A good app does this for you and shows duration separately (how to time contractions).
- One big button. A Start/Stop button you can hit without looking, under your thumb, in a dark room.
- Nothing gets lost. Each tap is saved at once. Test it: start a contraction, close the app from the app switcher and open it again.
- No pop-ups while timing. Ads, upgrade screens or rating requests in the middle of a contraction are the last thing you need. Check whether the free version shows ads.
- Works offline, without an account. Signal can be weak in hospitals, and a sign-up screen gets in the way.
- Your care team’s rule. Look for 5-1-1, 4-1-1, 3-1-1 or a custom rule you can change or turn off (the 5-1-1 rule). An app cannot tell whether labor has started; your midwife or doctor can.
- Lock Screen and an editable history. A Lock Screen timer saves unlocking the phone. An editable history lets you fix a late tap or add a contraction you missed.
- A report you can send. A PDF or CSV of your timings is easier to share than screenshots. Check whether reports need a subscription.
- Privacy. Find out where your records are stored, whether an account or upload is required, and whether you can turn off usage data.
Birthtide against this list
| Check | Birthtide |
|---|---|
| Frequency | Start to start; duration shown separately |
| Button | Start/Stop fills most of the screen |
| Saving | Every tap saved at once, even through a restart |
| Ads and pop-ups | No ads; nothing pops up while you are timing |
| Account and internet | No account; works offline |
| Rules | 5-1-1, 4-1-1, 3-1-1, custom or off |
| Lock Screen | Live Activity and Home Screen widgets |
| History | Edit times, add a missed contraction, intensity 1–10 |
| Kick counter | Included, free |
| Reports | PDF and CSV with Pro, a one-time purchase; no subscription |
| Privacy | Records stay on your iPhone; usage data can be turned off |
| Devices | iPhone with iOS 18 or later; no Android or Apple Watch app yet |
More details are in the Birthtide FAQ.
Before the day
Whichever app you choose, ask your midwife or doctor which rule applies to you and when to call, keep your phone charged, and call whenever you are worried. Call straight away if your waters break, you have vaginal bleeding or your baby is moving less than usual (NHS).
General information, not medical advice. Written by the developer of Birthtide; follow the advice of your midwife or doctor. Checked 30 October 2026.
Sources
Other guides
- How to time contractionsMeasure duration and frequency the way care teams ask for it: frequency from the start of one contraction to the start of the next.
- The 5-1-1 rule for contractionsWhat 5-1-1, 4-1-1 and 3-1-1 mean, how to check them with a timer, and why your care team’s advice comes first.
- Baby movements and kick countingGet to know your baby’s usual pattern, how a kick count works if your care team asks for one, and when to call straight away.