So last Wednesday I went to the doctor because I was having excruciating lower back/hip pain that kept coming and going with an ongoing dull pin in between and they said I was 2cm. Then the pain subsided and wasn’t as bad, but a dull on going pain for a few days. Then it happened again and I went back in the following Monday of this week and I was 3cm dilated. They still sent me home which I totally understand. Same thing happened where the excruciating pain went away, but left a dull ongoing pain. Then I had my regular doctors appointment on the Thursday that followed (so only a few days later) and I was 4cm dilated. I’ve been having the dull pain still in my hips and lower back which I know that is just a part of pregnancy, but this morning around 5am I started feeling I’m guessing Braxton Hicks (???) they were super strong and painful and I couldn’t find my phone to tract the timing exactly but they were around 5-10 mins apart for 45 seconds to a minute long. After about an hour of debating if I should wake my boyfriend up to go to the hospital I ended up falling asleep because I’ve been so tired. When I woke up the contractions or Braxton Hicks I was feeling had subsided a great bit and then eventually died off completely. When I was feeling them it felt like the “contraction” feeling was all the way around my waist and belly and groin area. Now, I’m not feeling much except the same him and back pain as before. I guess because I’m a first time mom I really don’t know what I’m looking for. It drives me crazy when you ask people and they say “oh, you’ll just know” but I know not only from people I know in real life, but from stories I’ve read on here that sometimes you really don’t know and that’s the problem so please don’t comment “you’ll know when you’re in labor.” Someone I’m friends with had been in back labor for over a day and just thought it was normal back pain until she felt a hush of fluid and when she went to the bathroom her panties were covered in blood and had to have an emergency C-Section. Anything you post will be greatly appreciated whether it’s your own experience in labor/birth or advice you were given I’d love to read it!! I just want this baby out 😭