Does this sound like it could be early labour?
I'm 40+5 with first baby and have been having Braxton Hicks and period pain like cramps for weeks. Late last night these were getting stronger and from around 3am I've been waking up every 20 minutes or so with sharp pains around my hips and lower back that last about 20-40 seconds. They feel a bit like I'm being squeezed really tightly and are painful enough to seriously hurt but manageable with a hot water bottle, hypno breathing and some paras so far.
Could this be it? Pains are getting stronger.