Pamela and all:
The studies re maturation and organization of suck-swallow-breathing
coordination were done on bottle-fed infants! It has been my experience that
the ability of a premie to suckle at breast precedes the ability to suck on a
bottle. L. Chantal, L Gartner et al did a study recently regarding premie's
ability to suck. They found that infants tolerate oral feeding better with a
restricted flow situation (read BFing) vs a gravity flow. Don't have the
reference at the moment - Peds or J Peds, 1997.
Nancy