38 weeks contractions ?

Had sex this morning, followed by a bath, hot wings and cheesecake and have been steadily working my hips on my exercise ball, I feel like I’m having contractions and I’m starting to become super uncomfortable but was wondering what do contractions feel like to others ? My stomach is rock hard and it feels like a buildup of pain coming from my back and then to where my period cramps would be ? Was wondering when/if I should start timing these ? And do I time from the end of one to another or from the time I feel the cramp coming on from my back ?