Beginnings of labor?

Sorry this will be kind of long...I need advice from you guys that have had babies before....I'm 38 weeks today  wondering what the beginning stages of your labor felt like. I was having some cramping and back pain last night but that's usually pretty typical for me when I've been active. About 3:30 this morning a painful contraction woke me up, which has never happened before with my Braxton Hicks. It lasted about 45 seconds or so and then it stopped and I wanted to see if I would have another one. I had to pee so I got up to go and had another one, 40ish seconds long about 9 minute after the first. I was thinking ok this could be it bc even though I went into preterm labor at 28 weeks and have had the Braxton Hicks it was nowhere near as painful as these contractions. I laid back down and waited to see if I would have more and in 3 hours I've been awake I've had 5 contractions but they aren't consistent at all but I'm  in a crazy amount of pain in regards to my back and the cramping. I know little man is sunny side up so I'm expecting back labor but I just don't know if that's what this is. My dr said last Monday he expected me to go sometime next week bc I was 60% effaced and starting to dilate, a little over a 1 maybe. I've taken some Tylenol and tried to eat a little to see if that helps with the pain at all but it's bad enough that in starting to shake and I feel nauseated. Any advice or insight? I hate to go in (again) to the ER of its nothing bc I've had several false alarms with the preterm labor and if I call my drs office they'll tell me to go there bc they are only open a few hours on Fridays but I also hate to send my husband to work 45 minutes away if this is the real thing.