Contraction Rule for Labor | Know When To Go

When contractions start, the big question is simple: “Is this the real thing, and do I go now?” A contraction rule gives you a clean way to judge the pattern, not just the intensity. It’s a shared language you can use with your nurse, midwife, or doctor.

This guide covers the timing rules people use most, how to measure contractions, and the signs that matter more than any stopwatch. The aim is fewer wasted trips and fewer last-minute scrambles.

Contraction Rule for Labor At A Glance

Rule	What You Time	Common Use
5-1-1	Every 5 minutes, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour	Many first labors at term
4-1-1	Every 4 minutes, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour	When your team wants you a bit later
3-1-1	Every 3 minutes, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour	Fast labors or prior quick birth
3-60-60	Every 3 minutes, 60 seconds long, over 60 minutes	Alternate way to say 3-1-1
2-1-1	Every 2 minutes, lasting 1 minute, for 1 hour	Often “go now” territory if not pushing yet
Travel buffer	Earlier timing if you live far from care	Long drive, ferry, or winter roads
Custom plan	Your unit may set a different trigger	VBAC, induction, twins, medical factors
Red-flag override	Bleeding, fluid leak, fever, less movement	Stop timing and get help right away

What A Contraction Timing Rule Is And What It Isn’t

A contraction rule combines three pieces of info: frequency (start to start), duration (how long one lasts), and consistency (the pattern holds). The classic “5-1-1” format is easy to report: “They’re five minutes apart, each is about a minute, and it’s been an hour.”

It’s not a test that proves active labor. Some people reach 5-1-1 and still have a long early phase. Others speed up fast and never fit the textbook pattern. Your baby’s position and your cervix shape the pace.

Use the rule as a gate, not a verdict. It can keep you from arriving too early and getting sent home, while still catching the window before things ramp up.

Taking Contractions The Right Way

Time start to start

Count from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. End-to-start gives a bigger gap and can fool you into waiting too long.

Time each contraction

Start when the tighten begins. Stop when it fades back to baseline. A minute can feel long, so use a timer.

Check for a steady pattern

A real pattern sticks around. Clusters can pop up after dehydration, a long walk, or a busy day. If spacing stays steady or gets closer for a full hour, it carries more weight.

Simple timing steps

1. Open a timer or contraction app.
2. Tap start at the first tighten, stop when it eases.
3. Repeat for at least 6 contractions.
4. Write down the average gap and length.

For a clear medical checklist on early labor signs, see ACOG’s “How to Tell When Labor Begins”.

Picking The Rule Your Team Uses

Many people hear 5-1-1 first. Your best rule is the one your own team gave you. If you have an induction plan, a planned cesarean, or a condition that needs closer monitoring, the phone instructions may differ from what friends were told.

• First baby, uncomplicated pregnancy, close to care: 5-1-1 is common.
• Second or third baby, past fast labor: your team may use 4-1-1 or 3-1-1.
• Long drive or tricky transport: plan to leave earlier than the rule on paper.
• VBAC or higher monitoring need: follow your unit’s call-and-go plan.

If you’re in the UK, this NHS page spells out when to contact your maternity unit: NHS “When to go to hospital or contact a midwife”.

Signs That Beat Any Timing Rule

Timing helps, yet there are moments when you stop timing and get help. Call your unit right away if you have any of these.

• Water breaks: a gush or a steady trickle of fluid.
• Heavy bleeding: more than light spotting.
• Fever or chills or you feel sick in a new way.
• Severe headache or vision changes.
• Less baby movement than normal for you.
• Constant abdominal pain that does not come and go.

If you’re unsure, call anyway. Labor and delivery teams field these questions all day.

Early Labor At Home That Still Moves Things Forward

Early labor can stretch for hours. If your water hasn’t broken and you have no warning signs, staying home for a while can help you rest, eat, and stay steady. The goal is to arrive with energy left for active labor.

Food and hydration

Pick small, simple foods: toast, yogurt, soup, rice, bananas, or eggs. Sip water or an electrolyte drink. Dehydration can make contractions feel sharper and can make patterns messy.

Comfort moves

• Warm shower or bath if your care team okayed it.
• Heat pack on the low back.
• Slow walking or hip circles.
• Side-lying rest with a pillow between knees.
• Steady breathing: in through the nose, out through the mouth.

When to time again

Instead of timing every contraction for hours, time for 20–30 minutes each hour, or anytime the feeling shifts. You’ll spot the trend without draining yourself.

Active Labor And Admission Reality

Hospitals often use “active labor” as the point where admission is more likely. Many guidelines place active labor around 6 cm dilation with regular contractions, still every birth is its own case.

This is where the contraction rule becomes a tool, not a verdict. If you arrive early, you may be offered a walk, a re-check later, or a return home with clear return signs.

Contraction Timing In Common Call Scenarios

The table below shows how triage calls are often sorted. Your own instructions always win, yet this gives you a feel for what the nurse is weighing.

Situation	What To Do	Why It Matters
Contractions irregular, mild, you can talk through	Rest, hydrate, time again later	Often early phase or uterine irritability
5-1-1 pattern for an hour	Call your unit, plan to leave soon	Regular pattern that may be moving toward admission
4-1-1 with rising intensity	Head in if this is your plan	Less spacing can mean faster change
3-1-1 and you need to stop and breathe	Go now	Short spacing can turn into pushing quickly
Water breaks, clear fluid, no fever	Call promptly and follow instructions	Timing can change; infection risk rises with time
Green, brown, or foul-smelling fluid	Go in right away	May signal baby stress or infection
Bright red bleeding	Emergency care now	Needs rapid assessment
Less movement than normal	Call right away and follow triage plan	May need monitoring
Positive Group B strep and water is broken	Call and plan to come in	Antibiotics timing may matter

What To Say When You Call

A clear call speeds up triage. You can read from notes.

• Gestational age (weeks and days).
• Contraction pattern: “They are X minutes apart, lasting Y seconds, for Z minutes.”
• Water broken or not, and fluid color if yes.
• Baby movement: normal for you or changed.
• Any bleeding, fever, or severe symptoms.
• Your travel time to the unit.

Pack Fast Without Forgetting The Basics

When contractions hit the rule your team gave you, it’s easy to rush and forget basics. A short list keeps you from doing three trips to the car. Pack the car seat early.

• ID, insurance card, phone, charger.
• Comfort clothes, socks, hair ties, lip balm.
• Snacks and a water bottle.
• Baby outfit and a car seat installed.

When The Rule Changes For Induction Or Prior Rapid Birth

If you’re induced, contractions can ramp up in a different pattern. Ask at the start what timing should trigger a nurse check. If your water is broken on the unit, your instructions may change again.

If you’ve had a fast birth before, your Contraction Rule for Labor may be earlier than 5-1-1. Some people are told to come in at the first steady pattern because the slope can change fast.

Braxton Hicks And Early Labor: Quick Differences

Braxton Hicks contractions can feel tight, hard, and annoying, yet they usually don’t build in a steady pattern. They often ease with a change: drink water, empty your bladder, lie on your left side, or take a warm shower. Early labor contractions tend to keep coming back even when you switch positions. They may start mild, then get longer, closer, and harder to ignore.

If you’re stuck wondering which one you have, try a small reset. Hydrate, rest for 30 minutes, then time the next few contractions. If the spacing keeps shrinking and the duration stays close to a minute, treat it like real labor and call. If the tightenings fade out or stay scattered, you can usually rest and check again later. If you have pain that feels sharp, one-sided, or constant, skip the home testing and get medical advice.

Mini Phone Note Checklist

Save this as a note so you don’t have to think hard at 2 a.m.

1. Scan for red flags: heavy bleeding, water break with odd color, fever, less movement.
2. If no red flags, time 6 contractions start-to-start.
3. Compare the averages to your team’s rule.
4. Call with your numbers, symptoms, and travel time.
5. Leave when your team says go, or when the pattern matches your plan.

Contraction Rule for Labor works best when you treat it as a tool and pair it with your body signals. If something feels off, call. Keep your phone charged, and make sure your ride plan is ready.