What do Braxton hicks feel like?

What do Braxton hicks feel like and can you even get them as early as 16 weeks? I didn't have them with my first pregancy but I'm the middle of the night I start getting this pain all over my stomach and then it came and went like 3 times. I almost was thinking it was contractions but like the pain wasn't in the right spot (contractions for me were like period cramps and this was all over my stomach). I also thought Braxton hicks didn't hurt so who knows... it was odd