Albury-Wodonga Midwifery Services is the first in the area to give parents the choice of donated, screened and pasteurised breast milk.

Director Barb Roberts has been a midwife for over 20 years.

She said the idea to offer donated milk had been suggested by one of her patients who could not feed her baby due to difficulties with milk supply.

"My client was unable to feed her baby and she was at a loss with what to do," Mrs Roberts said.

"I said to her, 'We have to feed this baby; it's crucial'.

"I suggested formula for a point of nutrition, but she was adamant she wanted breast milk."

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Mrs Roberts said it was clear "something needed to be done".

"She said she had done some research and found a Facebook group for mothers to donate breast milk," Mrs Roberts said.

"I had never seen this as something offered before, and I was hesitant, but at this stage, it was an essential factor for the baby's health and better than nothing.

"Driving away, I knew I had to offer this service to other mums, and then I found Mothers Milk Bank, and it changed everything."

The Mothers Milk Bank is a not-for-profit charity giving support to mothers who may encounter difficulties with lactation. The charity collects, screens, and distributes donated breast milk to infants where mothers' milk is unavailable.

The Mothers Milk Bank distributes across Australia.

Mrs Roberts took to Facebook to raise awareness for the region's women that there were other options available.

"The response I had back from the community has been overwhelming, " she said.

Within 24 hours, she had more than 20,000 views and hundreds of messages from women wanting to donate and desperately needing help too.

"I'm rapt that we can offer this to the community," she said.

"It's wonderful that women are helping women, and it's beautiful.

"Donated milk enhances our service and is very handy for women."

Former Albury resident, Sherrealle Hanley, donated over 20 litres of breast milk to a struggling mother.

"It's very humbling to donate something so precious," she said.

"I would recommend others to be a part of a service so precious; Health screening is needed but having a midwife do the process and matching families/supplies is amazing and can help normalise donating milk again."

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