Gold Coast teacher and mother of two Lisa Nielsen, 35, donated breast milk after the birth of her first child.

"The decision to donate milk was borne of my own frustration and anxiety that I was unable, initially, to breastfeed my daughter, Isabel, now three. She was born in 2005, seven weeks premature, which meant I didn't have any milk for her.

"It was so frustrating; I tried everything, but my body just wasn't ready. I remember holding my tiny, screaming daughter and feeling so helpless. There's nothing more heartbreaking than watching your baby cry, knowing you can't provide the one thing she needs most from you.

"In the end, I gave Isabel formula, but rather than helping her, it caused digestive problems because she was so premature. My daughter became really weak, and doctors later told me they were worried she would develop a life-threatening bowel condition called necrotising enterocolitis. She was a very sick little girl and we worried about her constantly.

"Once my milk finally came, five days after the birth, I found I had an abundant supply, and a midwife suggested donating the excess to a milk bank for new mothers. Before then, I had no idea they existed, so I went online and registered to become a donor. I later organised to have a blood test to screen for viruses. It felt so good to know that I might be able to help another vulnerable baby, and prevent another mother from experiencing the pain and worry I had.

"From then on, I expressed any leftover milk and froze it. The milk bank then picked it up, pasteurised it, and froze it again, ready to go to a baby who needed it. Although it's usually an anonymous process, I discovered that my milk went to a little boy called Ty, who had severe allergic reactions to formula and artificial baby milks, and had nearly died. But when he took my breast milk, he began to recover, which was an incredible feeling for me."

Why it's important: Breast milk offers nutrition and some immune protection for newborn infants. It is particularly critical for premature and sick babies. However, there is a chronic shortage of donors.