“…Our center offers active care to families from 22 weeks of gestation [ 18 ] using a very specific DR protocol that comprises an extensive care bundle to avoid MV within the first 72 hours of life [ 19 ]. In summary, this approach focusses on the establishment of spontaneous breathing using a stepwise increasing positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) strategy in line with the most recent ERC guidelines [ 20 ], less invasive surfactant application (LISA) and the avoidance of MV using a variety of non-invasive ventilation strategies [ 19 , 21 ]. In detail, the baby receives sustained continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to recruit lung volume immediately after birth via a face mask with a variable flow CPAP device (Benveniste valve, Dameca, Copenhagen, Denmark) [ 22 ] using a flow of humidified gas.…”