Eeeeek!!

Yesterday i woke up feeling as if I was going to start my period (37weeks 2days preg) I started having dull period cramps around halftime lol I went to lay down and the pains got worse and traveled to my back on a scale of 1-10 I'd say like a 3. I waited till 11pm to go to the hospital turns out I was in labor but wasn't dilated yet. They put me on an IV which stopped the pain but u was still getting contractions apparently. They discharged me at 6am said I was half a cm dilated and still getting contractions. My question is, what can help me dilate faster and since I'm dying getting contractions but can't feel them yet how am I supposed to know when to go in