Never Experienced Labor Pains

This is my second pregnancy, however I have never really experienced the real pains of labor. I’m not sure what real labor or contractions feel like because with my first pregnancy I was induced and had pain medication from start to finish, including the epidural.

I’m currently having period like cramps at 37 weeks. Just started this morning about an hour ago. The pains I’m having feel like period cramps, they are tolerable and I haven’t lost my mucous plug yet. My doctor doesn’t do cervix checks so I’m not even sure if I’m dilated. What do I do from here? What if the pain or cramps grow but I haven’t lost my mucous plug or water hasn’t broken? Do I still go to the hospital?