“People have always timed contractions, but [contraction timers are] a simplified way to do that,” says Dr. Sidney Wu, a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology at New York’s Weill Cornell Medicine. The apps “can be helpful as an adjunct. Are they necessary? No. But they’re not harmful. I would caution people to of course to use their own judgment and not just go according to what the app says. Use your common sense. Call your doctor. Everyone’s labor is different. The apps can be helpful and provide general guidance.” Early labor can last a while. That’s why Wu says it’s important not to go to the hospital too soon after contractions begin. You’ll either be sent home or Mom will be stuck in a hospital bed for way too long. “Stay at home until you’re really uncomfortable,” Wu says. A good rule of thumb is to call the doctor when contractions follow what Wu calls “The 5-1-1 Rule”: they’re every five minutes, lasting one minute, and have been going on for one hour. If this isn’t your first baby, be prepared to head to the hospital earlier after the onset of contractions. “After you’ve had your first baby, the body is much more efficient,” says Wu, “so call earlier because the baby can come much faster.”
