Kym Marsh thought she was a "terrible parent" when she was bringing up her kids on her own.

Kym Marsh

Kym Marsh

The 'Coronation Street' star sympathises with anyone who goes through postnatal depression after admitting she used to give herself a "hard time" and tell herself she wasn't a good mum when she was bringing up son David Cunliffe, 23, and daughter, Emilie Cunliffe, 22, alone.

The 42-year-old actress, who admits she didn't suffer from post-natal depression, said: "By the time I was 23 I was living by myself with two young children.

"You have a lot on your plate and you think you're a terrible parent and you give yourself a hard time, so if you also have postnatal depression it can be doubly hard."

Her comments come after her 'Corrie' co-star Tina O'Brien revealed last week she had suffered "very bad" postnatal depression after giving birth to her daughter Scarlett, who is now 10, and Kym has praised her "brave" fellow cobbles resident for speaking out about the issue.

Writing in her OK! magazine column, she added: "I think it's very brave of Tina to speak out now.

"We in the public eye are in a position to help others by sharing our experiences and it's good to destigmatise issues surrounding mental health.

"I never suffered postnatal depression but I've known women who have and it can be life-changing.

"People sometimes think it just 'baby blues' but it's so much work.

"Tina also wrote about being a single mum and how hard it can be. It's hard work."

Tina admitted her life was "pretty dark" for "a little while" after having her daughter - who she shares with former co-star Ryan Thomas - 10 years ago, and she feels "so sad" reminiscing about how tough things were post-birth.

She wrote: "#10yearchallenge wouldn't be complete without my incredible 10 year old daughter. I wish I could tell the scared and fragile Tina of 10 years ago it's going to be ok, you will get through this. I had very bad postnatal depression even looking at the pic on the left reminds me how bad it was and that makes me so sad. I wish I'd had the confidence to ask for help. Life felt pretty dark for a little while. Luckily the dark days eventually lifted. I was then a single mum, times when absolutely no income was coming in. I'd be lying if I said it was easy. 2009 was a tough year But to get through things sure as hell makes you stronger. (sic)"

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