I too had these questions in my mind during my pregnancy days. Anyway, when it is real contractions, you will feel tightening of abdomen and it will get more intense and more frequent. I only started my timer to count after an hour of my first contraction because i was unsure if it is real contraction Honestly, both feels the same. Just that real contraction will get more intense. Whereby braxton hicks is bearable and i only felt it again on the next day.
i am a first time mum too and have no idea how to identify a braxton hicks. sometimes when i lay down on my side, baby will move alot, and there will be a hardening(no pain) on my abdomen for few seconds and afterwhich it relaxes. Not sure if that is counted as BH or baby movement. 😅