Prodromal labor or latent labor?

Those that experienced PRODROMAL labor or Latent Labor: how did you realize you were in actual labor? I’m on week three of prodromal labor and anxious I won’t go in until I’m too far in pain. My contraction’s are constantly three minutes apart and semi painful, so can’t go off of that. And some women don’t even have a bloody show or their water breaks. I’m a nervous wreck, our hospital isn’t very close. I’ve been progressing, and the OB doesn’t expect me to last to term. So I was seeing what your experience was?