Real or BH?

I'm almost 36 weeks and have been having an increase in BH contractions which I've been told is normal. But yesterday I started getting some period like pains and today those pains have increased. It's not what I would expect a real contraction to feel like. It was just a bad cramping feeling right around my pubic area and wrapped around my back. I've had that mixed with my normal BH all afternoon. I don't want to be the mom that's constantly calling or going into L&D.; Is this all normal for the last few weeks or am I getting close to active labor?