Oral feeding practices and discharge timing for moderately preterm infants.

•Age at introduction of oral feeding is associated with age at which full oral feeding and hospital discharge are attained.•For each week earlier in postmenstrual age at first oral feeding, full oral feeding occurred 4.5 days sooner.•For each week earlier in postmenstrual age at first oral feeding, postmenstrual age at discharge was 3.4 days younger.•A prospective trial to evaluate whether earlier introduction of oral feeding facilitates earlier discharge is needed.