all of a sudden feeling "pinching"

[carolineb]

DS is 8 1/2 weeks and nursing has been going well. He has a good latch, but I did have the standard tenderness at the beginning while waiting to "toughen up" but other than that it's been fine. This afternoon though I have felt EXTRA sensitive on the left nipple. It feels like he's pinching me and when he leans back and pulls away before unlatching...OUCH! The milk blister/bleb post got me thinking. I have a few patches/clusters of little white bumps on the areola. It's on both sides but more prominent on the left, which is the side bothering me. I thought those patches were normal? What are they and could they be causing the tenderness?