Are these contractions?

I am 37 weeks pregnant with my first and have been having some sharp pains (seem like jolts) by my pelvis and my stomach tightens at different times throughout the day. This has been happening since Friday...at my last doc. visit my doc said the baby dropped and she felt his head but I was not dilated at all. Do you think these pains are contractions or just what they call Braxton Hicks?