Question for people who have gave birth before

Last night I had timely contractions that were 5-6 mins apart for over an hour. They start out in my uterus and radiated into my lower back and put so much pressure into my hips (felt kind of like my hips were being pulled in opposite directions. ) enough pain to were I was breathing heavier, not enough pain to where I couldn't talk at all or was cussing I guess. My husband and I decided to head in to l&d. Contractions were registering nicely they said, but I was still sitting at 3 cms and 80% effaced. Waited it out for an hour and the contractions started to die off and they gave me the option to hang around for another hour to see if any changes happen but at this point I new it wasn't the real deal because they were spacing out and not as intense so hubby and I decided to head home.

I am sitting her emotional because it feels like i live at l&d due to all the concerns and issues I have had (bright red bleeding, migraine that lasted 3 days straight, and now false labor .. I am embarrassed and feel like I don't even know my own body or they look at my like a hypochondriac 😪)

How did you know it was the real deal when you went into labor??? . These contractions started out "light" and intensified so we left because we live over an hour from the hospital.

My pocket book can't afford to keep going to the hospital to be sent home 😪 or my pride and everyone asking me "is baby here yet?" I am to the point I want to curl up and just sleep I am so depressed and filled with anxiety right now.

Feeling like an idiot.

I have had so much prodominal labor contractions but these were painful and different so I really thought it was time.