For me Braxton Hicks contractions have just felt like a tightening or sqeezing of my lower abdomen for most of my pregnancy. I usually feel like I need to go to the toilet, then if I put my hand on my belly, it feels really hard like a basketball rather than flexible like it usually does. Until recently I could miss them if I was doing other things. They have gotten more painful as I have gotten close to my due date.

I have heard/ read that it is common for 1st timers to not feel them at all during their pregnancy. I was the only one in my antenatal class last time that said they had noticed them.