Labor?

Today I am 37+4 with my first. This morning I had these CRAZY pains in my right hip, lower abdomen, wrapping into my lower back & into the top on my thigh. They started as period pains, I only ever get menstrual cramps on my right side. They lasted for about 60 seconds each and were 4 minutes apart, had about five of them. They stopped, but I keep getting a very dull radiating pain across my lower back from time to time.

One of these happened the other day & I brought it up to my midwife, she said it was most likely a contraction.

Anyone else experience anything like this? I have no idea what contractions feel like for me, and I can’t tell if baby is moving & making my belly hard, or if it’s Braxton Hicks.