What did your early labor feel like?

Angela • Baby Boy Born July 20th 2016💙 Baby Girl Born August 24th 2018 🎀 Baby Girl #2 Born January 2022 🎀 🌈 Baby Boy #2 born May 17th 2024 💙

My last two pregnancies I woke up to either my water breaking or just really strong contractions that were already five minutes apart. Well this morning I woke up with Braxton Hicks, but they have been coming consistently ever since around 6 this morning. They are just around 5 minutes apart but not painful full on contractions. I definitely stop when they hit and breathe through them but nothing like the labor contractions I’ve experienced previously. Im wondering if this is early labor and if I should prepare everything and assume I might be going to the hospital in the next day or so? I have two toddlers so I wanted to have a game plan.