A birth partner’s guide to keeping a contraction log

Agree on the help you want

Before starting a contraction timer, decide together who will hold the phone and how the person giving birth will signal each contraction’s start and end. A word or hand gesture can work. Ask whether they would prefer spoken updates or quiet company, and be ready to change the arrangement when they ask.

Let the record follow the person

In Birth Companion, start the timer at the agreed signal and stop it when the contraction ends. If you miss a signal, say so rather than presenting a guess as a precise measurement. Put the phone aside when attention is needed elsewhere. A complete log is never more important than care or comfort.

Keep notes short and specific

Record what the person chooses to share, such as whether they preferred silence or found a particular form of support helpful. Use their words rather than interpreting symptoms. When another support person takes over, explain the signals and any gaps in the record. Birth Companion can export a PDF summary if the person wants to share it.

Keep the care team in the conversation

A contraction log is a recording aid, not a diagnosis or a decision about when to seek care. Follow the maternity team's instructions and contact them about concerns without waiting to finish a record. NHS guidance describes the birth partner's role as support and encouragement, including helping communicate the person's wishes. Source: NHS, Tips for your birthing partner or partners (nhs.uk/best-start-in-life/pregnancy/preparing-for-labour-and-birth/tips-for-your-birthing-partner-or-partners/).

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