FTM confused about contractions

eafogel

As a FTM, I'm not sure how I'm supposed to know when I'm having any kind of contraction (even BH) as opposed to the cramps I get from the baby growing.   My SIL said that her contractions felt like menstrual cramps at first, which is what I've been feeling all through my pregnancy and attributed to baby's growth, so I'm all kinds of confused.

Not worried at all that I'm having them (or I'd call my doc) but I am wondering what contractions felt like to you if you've had them.  I'm interested in knowing what BH feel like too, though I know the general "not regular, not really painful" guidelines. Mostly, I'm very curious about how people know it's labor without their water breaking!

(I scrolled and went through a couple of pages to see if this question was answered already, but if I missed it and this has been answered, could someone post the link?)