Need help, unable to continue feeding at the breast.

[@llli*sowmyakittane]

I tried the laid back position, but somehow didn't find it comfortable. DS is having to lift his head up which he cannot do yet on his own and seems pretty uncomfortable too. I tried latching him on in the cross cradle hold and then reclining, but he's a pretty tall baby at 2 feet and I find half of him dangling in the air. Nonetheless both in this position and the side lying position, his latch was the same.
His lower lip is in the base of the nipple well within the areola and my nipples always come out blanched and pointed. I have been feeding him every 2 hours when he's awake. He tends to sleep for 2to 3 4 hour streches in a day. Even if I had a fast flow ( I'm not sure cause it's not like I spray or anything) even when my breasts are almost empty he continues to fuss. He arches his head back and pushes me until only the nipple is in his mouth. I think maybe it's just a habit he's picked up.
In general feeding sessions involve a lot of crying and fighting on the breast, constant latching and unlatching, eventually him falling asleep and last almost an hour long. By the end of the day when I'm tired I just pump and feed him in a bottle. That goes very well. He finishes 4 oz in 15 minutes without a whimper.
Can I expect things to improve as he grows older?

[@llli*sowmyakittane]

Ok I had been nursing him for 2 days with only one or two bottle feeds when it got tough, but yesterday was a tough day, one of my nipples started bleeding and I have been exclusively pumping since then. Doing this immediately brought back a plugged duct. Sigh. Eping is tough. I got all of 3 hours of sleep last night which is despite dh taking care of him until midnight and my mom taking care of him from 5.30. I cannot imagine sustaining this long term once I get back to work.
I briefly tried feeding him again it's morning, he was enthusiastic as always, but went straight for the nipple. I think this is a case of nipple confusion. Is it possible to overcome this?
He is 6 weeks old today. Somewhere along the line, I think my attempts to breastfeed him has caused so much stress that I think I just haven't enjoyed these precious days. I feel like both of us have been failures, even though the rational part of me knows that's not true. I cry at the drop of a hat like I'm doing while typing this. I am extending my maternity leave by 2 more weeks to figure this out, either feeding at the breast reclusive as that seems now or eping. Else there's always more to life than breastfeeding.