Braxton Hicks and labour contractions can be difficult to distinguish yourself. A timer records intervals; it cannot confirm labour. Contact your maternity team when you are unsure or worried, and follow your own maternity plan.
You do not need to prove labour before calling
NHS guidance describes Braxton Hicks as tightenings that generally do not build up, while contractions tend to become longer, stronger and more frequent as labour progresses. These are descriptions of patterns, not a reliable home diagnostic rule. Individual experiences vary, and an app cannot assess you or your baby.
Contact your maternity team urgently if you think your waters have broken, have vaginal bleeding, notice reduced baby movements, or think labour may be starting before 37 weeks. Do not wait to collect a particular number of contractions. For an emergency, use your local emergency service. Your team may have additional instructions specific to your pregnancy.
Describe what you notice without assigning a label
Instead of deciding “these are only practice contractions,” describe when the tightenings started and how they seem to be changing. Tell the team your gestation and any accompanying concerns first. If you have not timed them, that is information you can say honestly.
The comparison below helps you formulate questions. It does not sort you into a safe-to-stay-home category. In particular, irregular timing or a pause in the pattern does not override a concerning symptom or your maternity team’s advice.
| Observation | Question for the maternity team |
|---|---|
| Tightenings seem to build or change | What should I do given my gestation and care plan? |
| The pattern is unclear | Do I need assessment even without consistent timing? |
| Possible fluid leakage | How should I get checked for possible waters breaking? |
| Other concerns or changed movements | What immediate action should I take? |
Use a short call opening
Start with your name, gestation, where you receive maternity care and the main concern. Then describe onset, changes and any timing you already have. Give the team space to ask its assessment questions rather than reading a long export from the beginning.
A partner can help find contact details or note the advice, but should not filter out a concern because it does not match an app’s pattern. If you need an interpreter or another communication adjustment, tell the service at the start of the call.
Illustrative opening: “I am 38 weeks pregnant and have had tightenings since this evening. I am not sure whether they are changing. I would like advice on what to do next.” Add any bleeding, fluid leakage or movement concern immediately; this example is not a triage script.
Ask for the next step in concrete terms
Before ending the conversation, check what you should do now, where to go if assessment is advised, and how to contact the team again. Ask which changes should prompt another call. Repeat the plan back if any part is unclear.
Record the call time and the instructions you were actually given. Avoid replacing them with a general timing rule from a website. If circumstances change or you remain worried, contact the service again rather than waiting for the diary to agree with the earlier conversation.
Let timing support care rather than delay it
The duration and frequency guide explains the difference between a contraction’s length and the interval between starts. The maternity call preparation tool and free record can organize existing observations.
The optional contraction app records timings and notes. It cannot establish labour, assess cervical change, check fetal wellbeing or decide when you should travel. Stop recording whenever contacting or following your maternity team is the more useful task.
Sources & checks
- NHS: Signs that labour has begun ↗
General Braxton Hicks/labour patterns and reasons to contact maternity care.
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals: Pregnancy FAQs ↗
Contact maternity assessment when uncertain about Braxton Hicks versus labour.
- Current App Store listing: Contraction Tracker - Timer ↗
Public US listing checked September 30; recording or sound features only, not evidence of health benefit.
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-30. Examples and worksheets are original illustrations, not real patient histories or clinical validation. This is educational content, not individual medical advice or a clinician-reviewed treatment plan.
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