title: Bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the bottle-feeding histories of preterm infants and determine physical indices related to and predictive of bottle-feeding initiation and progression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ex post facto.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  A convenience sample of 40 preterm infants without concomitant cardiac, gastrointestinal, or cognitive impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The morbidity rating, using the Neonatal Medical Index (NMI), was most strongly correlated with postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding (r = .34, p < .05), full bottle-feeding (r = .65, p < .01), and discharge (r = .55, p < .05). The morbidity rating also accounted for 12%, 42%, and 30% of the variance in postconceptional age at first bottle-feeding, full bottle-feeding, and discharge, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The NMI may be a useful tool for predicting the initiation and progression of bottle-feeding in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298-0567, USA.
authors.forename: R H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Pickler
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Mauck
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Geldmaker
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001724:Birth Weight; D001903:Bottle Feeding / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies