People commonly watch for contractions that grow longer, stronger, and closer together, and describe that pattern, often as 5-1-1, to their care provider, who tells them what to do next. There is no single number that applies to everyone. The right timing is a conversation with the provider who knows your pregnancy.
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Tap start when one begins.
Many families learn about a 5-1-1 pattern: contractions roughly five minutes apart, each lasting about a minute, holding that way for about an hour. That is general information, not a rule and not advice. Your provider or doula is your guide for what your own timing means.
This timer is a convenience, not a medical device. It does not diagnose, monitor, or advise, and nothing here is saved or sent anywhere. For any concern about your labor, contact your care provider or local emergency services.
We are not going to tell you when to go to the hospital, because we cannot, and no honest tool should. That decision belongs to you and the care provider who knows your pregnancy. What we can do is describe, plainly, the things people commonly pay attention to and bring to that conversation.
HiDoula is a coordination and support tool, not a medical device, diagnosis tool, or emergency monitoring system. For urgent concerns, contact your care provider or local emergency services.
These are things people often track and mention, not instructions. Your own care team will have told you which ones they want to hear about.
When the time comes to reach your provider, the most useful thing you can offer is a clear description: how far apart the contractions are, how long they last, and how long the pattern has held. That is exactly what the timer above works out for you, so you can say it in one steady sentence instead of counting between contractions.
If the shorthand is new to you, the 5-1-1 rule explains the pattern people most often describe, and how to time contractions covers the basics.
HiDoula keeps the pattern worked out and shared with your doula, so when it is time to reach your provider you can describe exactly what is happening. See how it works.