contractions or braxton hicks

So my husband just got back from a 7 months deployment, and I am 35 weeks along. We've had sex 3 times since he's been back. 3 times in two days. I woke up this morning around 6ish with cramps. And the cramps are in the lower half of my stomach. They happen every five to ten minutes. When they started they weren't all that bad but now as time goes on (it's 8 now) they feel more painful. I got a shower to try and relax them but I had three contractions or braxton hicks while I was in the shower. I didn't time how long I was in there because I forgot to look at the clock before going in. But now I'm starting to feel pressure on the bottom half of my back. My husband wants to go the hostipal to make sure the sex didn't lead into labor, but I don't want to go. Only because I've been in and out of hospital the past 7 months because what I thought was true labor pains were actually just braxton hicks. I don't want to keep going back when all they are going to say is drink lots of water and relax.. could these pains be actual contractions?.. or braxton hicks?... thank you for any input you may have...