What do Braxton hicks feel like?

[TwoCatsAndABabyBump]

31 weeks pregnant with my first and I think I might have had a Braxton hicks contraction a couple of nights ago but I'm not really sure as I don't know what they feel like!

I got quite a bad pain that radiated from the left side of my belly to the middle and round my back. It was fairly painful in that I had to breathe through it iykwim. It lasted over a minute as well before it went away.

It was only that one pain and I've not had one since. Is that normal? People talk about tightenings but I don't know what that's supposed to feel like. This felt like a bad period pain but through the centre of my belly not further down.

I'm 32 weeks and get them regularly but they aren't painful, it is definitely a tightening, like a painless cramp and my bump goes rock hard, mine are all at the front though not in my back.

Mine are definitely painful and I get them all the time. Strong enough that I have to breathe through them, but have been checked out at hospital (high risk pregnancy, 2 previous prem labours, 32 weeks tomorrow and paranoid about labour starting) and they are just Braxton Hicks for the moment. My bump goes a really wierd shape now because it all tightens up around the baby and I look totally lopsided.
I think usual guidelines are that if you're getting more than 4 an hour and they're lasting more than about 45 seconds you should get checked.