Cosima -- I really didn't think much of the advice of Princess's maternity nurse friend. How can she be so prescriptive when she hasn't even met you? BreastFeeding is a biological process, what's normal varies a huge amount. And what are you supposed to do if you don't have somebody handy to walk your baby around while he cries?
Long feeding sessions partly off and mostly on are sometimes called 'cluster feeding' or 'marathon feeding' -- you can google for those terms. It's quite common and considered normal in late afternoon, evening times. If you're getting it round the clock, though, that would be unusual.
Remarkable weight gain: Friend's baby was also born 7.5 lbs and hit 13 lbs in weight by 6 weeks old (5.5 lb weight gain in 6 weeks!)... you hear stories of breastfed babies making 22 lbs at 4months, etc. They never seem to turn into fat kids, either.
I don't eat 3 meals+3 snacks a day, either. I do wolf down my food, though, I thought that was normal with a little baby in the house. And I eat my food while feeding baby. The baby gros don't do well for it, but only because I'm too disorganised to throw a muslin over baby. Eating (and drinking) while baby eats and feeding lying down, those are my top survival tips.
Do formula feeding moms not have to eat while holding or feeding baby, too? If I FF I'd be a chronic bottle propper, I would....