It will be way easier to time your contractions when you are in labour, don't bother timing them while they aren't regular or you'll do your head in! (I did this in early labour with DS1 and it was sooo annoying and disappointing). Once they become regular you time them from the start of one contraction to the start of the next. And yep, your contraction will start kind of softly, then peak and go away softly at first, kind of like a wave and you will get a break where you feel normal in between. Also, keep track of how long each contraction lasts for because your hospital will want to know when you ring them.

Yay, not long to go now!!!