are the period cramps what you should time or the stomach getting tight

Jolene • Momma of a beautiful girl Kinsley Anne born Jan 18th 2016 and due with our 2nd girl Maddison Reece due May 15th 2017
So I've been having some good contractions. I'm having a hard time timing though because I'll get those period type cramps and then my stomach will get hard, what are u suppose to time seems like the cramps lasts longer than the belly getting hard.
The ones I was timing earlier were about 8mins apart for a min long. I kinda feel like I should go in to be monitored and see. But hospital is an hr away and I'd hate to make a false trip.
39wks and 2 days
They're not painful yet just very uncomfortable idk what to do honestly tell me your about your contractions and how you timed them and when u went in. 
I don't want to wait to long because I hhad my first in 9hrs, induced though.