title: Does parental involvement affect the development of feeding skills in preterm infants? A prospective study.
abstract: Feeding difficulties frequently occur in preterm infants, thus contributing to delayed growth and hospital discharge.
  
  
  
  To evaluate the effect of Kangaroo mother care implementation and parental involvement in infants' feeding on the timing of achievement of full oral feeding in preterm infants.
  
  
  
  Prospective, observational, single-centre study.
  
  
  
  A total of 81 infants born at a gestational age ≤32weeks, consecutively admitted to a tertiary neonatal unit between June 2014 and May 2015.
  
  
  
  The timing of the achievement of full oral feeding of preterm infants.
  
  
  
  Full oral feeding was achieved at a mean postmenstrual age of 35.5±2.1weeks. A multiple linear regression analysis showed that a low birth weight, the occurrence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and the need for gastrointestinal surgical procedures were associated with a higher postmenstrual age at achievement of full oral feedings. By contrast, the earlier that parents fed their infants and the earlier that Kangaroo mother care was started, the lower the postmenstrual age at the achievement of full oral feeding.
  
  
  
  These findings indicate that an early start of Kangaroo mother care and early parental involvement in infants' feeding positively affect the achievement of independent oral feeding.
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: maria.gianni@unimi.it.
authors: Maria Lorella
authors: ML
authors: Giannì
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, S.I.T.R.A. Basic Education Sector, Via Francesco Sforza 28, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: patrizio.sannino@unimi.it.
authors: Patrizio
authors: P
authors: Sannino
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, S.I.T.R.A. Basic Education Sector, Via Francesco Sforza 28, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: elena.bezze@policlinico.mi.it.
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Bezze
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: Cami_2003@hotmail.it.
authors: Carmela
authors: C
authors: Comito
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: laura.plevani@mangiagalli.it.
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Plevani
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: paola.roggero@unimi.it.
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Roggero
authors: Neonatologia e Terapia Intensiva Neonatale, Polo Universitario F. Del Ponte, Viale Borri 54, 21100, Varese, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.agosti@ospedale.varese.it.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Agosti
authors: Fondazione I.R.C.C.S. Ca Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Department of Clinical Science and Community Health, University of Milan, Via Commenda 12, 20122 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.mosca@unimi.it.
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Mosca
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D060127:Kangaroo-Mother Care Method; D008297:Male; D010287:Parent-Child Relations
keywords: Full oral feeding; Kangaroo mother care; Parental involvement; Preterm infants