The Constitution and the Incubator: Who Has Rights From the Beginning?

Summary:
In this soul-stirring second episode of Womb to World, Mary Coughlin explores what it means to hold constitutional rights in the earliest moments of life. From the incubator to the delivery room, from presence to policy, this episode challenges us to reimagine justice, dignity, and voice—not as abstract ideals, but as birthrights. Through a trauma-informed, developmental care lens, Mary draws parallels between the NICU and the civic systems we all live within, asking: When do rights begin? And who gets to decide?

In This Episode:

• The NICU as a reflection of societal justice and injustice

• The 9th and 14th Amendments through the lens of infant rights

• How trauma-informed developmental care restores voice, dignity, and belonging

• Why presence is political—and powerful

• A call to embody justice in every moment of care

Quote to Remember:

“We don’t just hold babies. We hold the future.”

Reflection Invitation:
What rights do you believe every baby is born with?
How does your presence honor—or unintentionally withhold—those rights?

Mentioned Concepts:

• The U.S. Constitution and the Ninth & Fourteenth Amendments

• Developmental care and trauma-informed practice in the NICU

• The concept of the incubator as a civic space

• Implicit bias and disparities in parental inclusion

• Justice as an act of care

Subscribe & Share:
If this episode moved you, please share it with a colleague, your team, or someone who cares deeply about justice in healthcare. And don’t forget to subscribe to Womb to World wherever you get your podcasts.