The Darkest Light
Exploring the untold stories of birth and motherhood in Sri Lanka. Pushing back against stereotypes and stigmas of the "perfect mother". Challenging dominant cultural narratives about women, labour and child-care. Questioning medical and obstetric birthing practices. Searching for grassroots reproductive justice in South Asia.
Podcasting since 2020 • 10 episodes
The Darkest Light
Latest Episodes
'We Didn't Know' — 3 Mothers, 3 Stories of Maternal Mental Health
Every year, 25 to 30 women in Sri Lanka commit suicide during pregnancy or within one year of delivery. According to Sri Lanka’s Maternal & Child Morbidity & Mortality Surveillance Unit, the country reported nearly 450 maternal ...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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1:07:09
My Body, My Choices, My Baby—My Birth Story
How many of us can say that our birth stories are truly our own? How many women in Sri Lanka can look back on their births and say, with absolute certainty, that their voices were heard, their choices were respected, their bodies were listened ...
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1:08:21
A Lot of Hand-Holding
Radha and Serena first met on Zoom. Serena is a doula and Radha was her first client in Sri Lanka. They had a whole plan: to get Radha through an unmedicated labor, and a spontaneous vaginal delivery. When Radha’s waters broke ahead of sch...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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53:14
Are Traditional Midwives History?
There was a time when birth was spiritual. When birth attendants possessed knowledge of traditional ayurvedic medicines and practices. When the care of pregnant, laboring and postpartum women was provided by people who felt like family.
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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32:44
Obstetric Violence: Sri Lanka's Silent Epidemic?
Have you ever heard the term obstetric violence?It’s when a person experiences pain, intimidation, fear, humiliation, or loss of dignity at the hands of a care provider during pregnancy, childbirth, or the immediate postpartum period.
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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26:03