ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 opens with the question of the inception of experiential human life, focusing on the conditions and paths of ‘becoming’ for the fetus within the womb. This chapter is an important starting point for all subsequent chapters, recognizing that in the study of the life of the newborn we need to ask when might experiential sensibility and consciousness actually begin, and what might compose its sensuality? The implications of caring for children born prematurely (from the womb) who require neonatal intensive care are also explored to show the striking differences in environmental sensuality between the womb and the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Such explorations are important to determine the ethical implications of established and emerging NICU care practices. Methodologically, this chapter is an example of engaging primarily with embryological, developmental, and behavioral research to explore the lived meaning of a phenomenon.
