Nikon D series technical issue?

I really love my Nikon. Seriously love it. However, it is battery operated and only takes lithium batteries (4 AA) which run out after about 10 pictures. I believe this is because I used to try using alkaline, but either way it's so pricey and irritating to handle. Does anybody have a solution to this other than rechargeable batteries? I don't have the paperwork with the warranty and it's a few years old. I KNOW I will want to be using it when the baby is born, and it is a favorite birthday gift of mine that I will not sell/trade.

If your camera is seriously going through batteries that quickly then there's something wrong with the camera.
A few years old? That could be the problem… Something has gone wrong in the electronics.

Re-charge batteries are really the best for small cameras because you won't have to re-buy time after time.
There's no other solution.

I'd say you have two choices… Re-charge batteries or a new camera because there probably is no fix.