Congratulations!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! on baby's birth. I, too, had a lot of trouble breastfeeding my first-- dealt with breast refusal, after baby was given bottles in the hospital. With my subsequent kids, I was DETERMINED to make it work. So maybe I can be of help.
First of all, yes, eating that frequently is totally normal, and very good for bringing in your full supply of milk, and a great sign that your LO is so alert and eager to nurse. Frequent feeds are the biological norm for human infants. The suggestion to supp with formula is usually a bad one, when the only "problem" is frequent feeding, which isn't really a problem. There are definitely situations where formula is necessary, but giving formula just to space feeds can lead to all sorts of difficulties-- like refusal to latch, nipple confusion, lousy latch, reduced supply, etc. It will fill baby up with a less-digestible food, cause baby to sleep longer, and nurse less often, and the whole thing often spirals downhill from there.
Have you had the opportunity to have a weight check? You may find that by this time, depending on how fully your milk has come in, that baby has stopped losing weight, and begun to gain back birthweight. You'll typically see that most babies have regained birthweight by two weeks, and gain steadily after that. If baby is gaining, and you are seeing plenty of pees and poops in a normal pattern for this age-- then there is no problem!
Of course, if baby is still losing weight, or not soiling diapers, and you are concerned, you'll want to search out local help-- a good IBCLC or a knowledgeable pediatrician, or your midwife or OB, may be a good place to begin. Your hospital might be able to recommend someone, as well. If you do decide to supplement, for good solid reasons, you might want to consider alternative methods of giving the supplement-- syringes, medicine droppers, and supplemental nursing systems come to mind. Those can help head off issues of nipple preference or breast refusal. Not all babies are subject to those problems, but when they happen, they can be incredibly difficult to overcome.
Soreness on your breast itself-- are you engorged? Applying hot compresses before feeds can help keep the milk flowing. Fill a sock with uncooked rice, and microwave it. Don't let it get hot enough to burn your skin! If you feel lumps, or you find that after a feed, there's an area of your breast that doesn't empty, you may be dealing with a plugged duct. If you develop a fever, then get medical help-- that's mastitis, which is NOT a reason to stop breastfeeding, but it does often require antibiotic treatment.
Nipple soreness is tricky. In many cases, it means that baby's latch is less than ideal. An IBCLC or your local LLL leader may be of help in evaluating latch. I would in particular wonder about the latch, if baby isn't gaining weight by a week old. Some babies have small issues with tongue tie, etc., that makes it difficult for them to latch well. But also, some babies who are nursing well, with no other issues, and gaining well, do cause some soreness in the early weeks, and often the cause is never found, and it goes away all on its own. But if it's really painful, or you are concerned, please reach out for help locally!
I had c-sections, and I had my best luck with side-lying nursing. It can take some practice, especially if your breast size and/or shape make positioning awkward, but it is totally worth the effort, if you can make it work. I used to get my pillow arranged, and then latch baby on while sitting up, and then slowly ease down to a lying-down position. It helps to put a rolled-up blanket behind baby's back, to help baby stay on on his/her side. (You can secure it with tape to keep it from coming unrolled.)
I was about two weeks PP before the soreness in my belly was really mostly gone. It still itched a lot, and I had moments of soreness, but for the most part it felt a lot better by then.
You guys are getting into breastfeeding and soon you'll be experts! :)
