Hang in there, mama! I know it's terribly frustrating, especially if you were expecting the every-three-hour patterns that the books seem to lead us to expect. But it really is normal, and healthy, and correct, for baby to spend nearly all his time at the breast, in those early weeks. Breasts aren't just for food-- they are home to a baby, comfort in a big world that can get overwhelming. There is a complex hormonal interaction that happens between you and baby that enables baby to relax into sleep. And all the stimulation, even the non-nutritive suckling, lays the foundation for a bountiful supply, which is established in the first six weeks or so.
He's not using you as a pacifier-- a pacifier is a substitute for you. You are doing just exactly right, to follow baby's cues and let him suckle as long as he seems to want to.
Has he regained birthweight? Is he pooping several times a day? I only ask because a very few babies spend a ton of time at the breast because they aren't getting enough milk-- often mama has plenty, but for one reason or another baby isn't getting it. The sign of that would be poor weight gain and poor diaper output. In that case, I'd recommend learning about breast compressions, and getting the advice of an experienced lactation consultant or La Leche League leader, just to be sure all is well.
But if he's gaining, there's no need to change or stop anything. This is how newborns are. (Except when they aren't, of course. Every child is different. My DD2 for example was a power-nurser from the get-go. My DS once logged 22 1/2 hours out of 24, at five weeks old, on the breast.)
My best advice would be to find a way to distract yourself. Have you tried practicing nursing in a carrier? I learned early on to nurse with baby in an Ergo or Mei Tai, so that I would be able to go about my business. It really helped a LOT. I also would recommend if you haven't already, learning to nurse while lying down, so that you can snooze while baby does his thing.
It goes by so fast! It can really help to try and find a way to frame it differently for yourself, so you can enjoy it while it lasts.
Think of it this way-- sitting quietly nursing is a lot less exhausting than endlessly walking the floor with a fussy baby. My first was bottlefed, so we didn't have the option of comfort nursing, and all of the other soothing methods seem to require so much more effort. Breastfeeding was so much easier.
oh those first few weeks are really hard! My guy is 10 months old now and I still remember that feeling of "JUST FINISH UP ALREADY" like it was yesterday.
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