German Lawyer Breastfeeds Son in Courtroom, Citing Necessity and Legality

Wiesbaden-based lawyer Julia Dokara has made headlines for her unconventional practice of breastfeeding her son during court proceedings. Dokara, a mother of two and a doctor of law specializing in rental and labor law, stated that she regularly brings her infant son to court and nurses him there.

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Please don't be irritated, I just need to briefly bare my chest.

Dokara explained that she returned to court appearances just three days after the birth of her second child. She chose to bring her baby with her, citing difficulties she experienced with pumped milk and family support during her first child's infancy. "With my first son, I tried to be available for trials with pumped milk and my family's support, but encountered breastfeeding problems," she told dpa. "So it became clear to me that it would be better to take the second child to courtrooms."

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So it became clear to me that it would be better to take the second child to courtrooms.

She recounted an incident where she informed the court, "Please don't be irritated, I just need to briefly bare my chest." Dokara noted that despite this, the witness was still disturbed. However, she generally reports receiving understanding from judges, clients, and even opposing counsel. She mentioned that she has been allowed to move around and rock her baby, with one young judge even offering to help soothe the infant.

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Every mother has this right.

Dokara actively shares her experiences on her Instagram channel, which has around 116,000 followers. Her goal is to demonstrate that breastfeeding in public is legitimate and legal, asserting, "Every mother has this right." While she has received many positive comments, such as "Respect! Awesome woman and mother!," her practice also sparks criticism. Some users argue that it is inappropriate for a courtroom setting, with one commenter stating they would not want their lawyer to be distracted by breastfeeding.

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Respect! Awesome woman and mother!