Different Types and Timing of Contractions Once contractions start to become less irregular, it may be time to head to the hospital. When contractions are five to seven minutes apart consistently, call your doctor and see if it’s time for your to come in. It’s common to want to estimate the time or think you’ll remember by keeping an eye on the clock, but when it comes to timing contractions, every second counts during the birthing process. Next, note how much time lapses between contractions. It’s important to keep track because the labor pains and sensations you’re feeling may make you think the contraction is lasting longer than it really is. Mark down when a contraction starts and when it ends. Learning how to count contractions is simple.
Counting the duration also gives you something to focus on as you go through the pain and discomfort that often comes with the early stages of childbirth. Timing the frequency of contractions is essential to determining what type of contractions you’re experiencing and how close you are to having your baby. They say timing is everything, which has never been more the case than during labor when the real contractions hit. How to Count Contractions & Understand Them