Contraction timer app vs a stopwatch and paper: what's the difference?
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A stopwatch and a notepad can time contractions well, as long as you write down when each one starts and ends and measure the gap from start to start. A contraction timer app like Popzy does the same with one tap at each end: it works out the length and the gap, averages the last hour against your provider's rule, and keeps a log you can read out or share, so nobody has to do maths mid-contraction.
Timing with a stopwatch and paper
- Write down the time each contraction starts.
- Start the stopwatch and stop it when the contraction ends. Write down the length.
- Work out the gap from the start of the previous contraction to the start of this one.
- After an hour, look back over the list to see whether they are regular.
It works, and it needs no phone. The usual slip is measuring from the end of one contraction to the start of the next, which makes them seem further apart than they are.
What a timer app adds
- One tap at the start and end; the length and the start-to-start gap are worked out for you.
- The last hour is compared with your rule, such as 5-1-1, and you are told when it matches.
- Missed taps can be fixed afterwards.
- The log can be shared as text or an image, or read out when you call.
- In Popzy, the timer also runs on the lock screen, and a breathing screen sits one tab away.
Either way
Neither tells you how labor is progressing. Use the timings to talk to your provider, and call straight away for urgent signs, whatever the numbers say.
Questions
Do I need an app to time contractions?
No. A clock and paper work if you record start times and lengths and measure the gap from start to start. An app saves the maths and keeps the log.
What is the most common timing mistake?
Measuring the gap from the end of one contraction to the start of the next. Always measure from start to start.
Get Popzy on iPhone and Android
Popzy is not a medical device. It times contractions and does not replace advice from your midwife, doctor or maternity unit. If you are unsure, or if your waters break, you notice bleeding, your baby moves less or anything feels wrong, call them.