Contractions

Has anyone had painful contractions that aren’t in a pattern but went to the doctor and were in preterm labor? Can your cervix still dilate without having timeable contractions??? I cant decide if I should call my doctor since I’m not having more than 6 an hour. (Which Is when the doc said I should call...) My uterus feels so heavy and crampy in between the painful contractions and the not painful ones. Could I still be dilated though? I’m only 30+3.