The Proprioceptive Birth: A Doula Framework for Neurodivergent and Chronically Ill Pregnant Clients

Lesliebeth Sánchez Sierra, BSW, Doula, Perinatal Educator, is a multidisciplinary perinatal professional whose work bridges neurodivergent sensory science, somatic birth work, and culturally rooted Caribbean frameworks. She is the founder of Oasis Birth Coach, a maternal support project in Puerto Rico dedicated to equitable, sensory-informed, and culturally grounded perinatal care.

Lesliebeth holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work (Magna Cum Laude) with minors in School Social Work and Strategic Languages. Her professional background spans special education, early childhood development, social services, and family systems. She has worked as a Special Education Teacher, Life Skills Instructor, and Infant/Toddler Care Specialist, supporting autistic, ADHD, trauma-impacted, and chronically ill individuals across the lifespan.

She is trained and certified as a Doula and Birth Coach, with additional training in lactation support (ACUDEN/ASI), Waldorf pedagogical approaches, behavioral support, sensory-processing differences, nonviolent crisis intervention (CPI), and early childhood education. Her grounding in both social sciences and developmental systems informs her unique approach to perinatal support.

Lesliebeth is the creator of The Proprioceptive Birth Framework, an emerging model that integrates embodied neuroscience, sensory integration theory, and Pedagogía de la Matriz Caribeña, a somatic Caribbean perspective she developed to expand cultural relevance and equity in doula care. As a neurodivergent educator herself, she specializes in supporting individuals whose proprioceptive and interoceptive patterns fall outside neurotypical assumptions embedded in traditional maternity care.

She is currently completing a second bachelor's degree in Speech-Language Therapy, further strengthening her expertise in communication, sensory processing, and developmental support. In parallel, she is pursuing a Master’s degree in Naturopathic Sciences, expanding her integrative and holistic approach to wellness.

Lesliebeth’s teaching blends evidence-based practice, trauma-aware care, neurodivergent advocacy, and culturally grounded somatic wisdom—offering doulas and perinatal professionals a pathway toward truly individualized, sensory-affirming, and culturally resonant birth support.