SALLY Bunkham was going through a tough period in her life.

The joy of her first child being born soon changed to despair when she suffered severe post-natal depression and she was self harming.

It was 11 months after the arrival of her second baby in 2015 that her GP finally diagnosed her with post-natal depression.

That proved a turning point and now she has set up her own company devoted to new mothers.

It is an online website called mumsback.com which sells, as Sally puts it, “everything mums are not allowed when they are pregnant”.

The hampers are aimed at women once they have had their baby.

She said: “Basically, I sell hamper gifts for new mums – items such as wine, pate and cheese which you’re not supposed to eat when you are pregnant.

“When I had my two children presents were bought for them both but there was nothing for me.

“And it made me think. Mums have a tough time when pregnant and they have to make sacrifices. Hence the website.”

Sally, 36, a former enterprise project manager at the University of Sussex, married website developer Paul, 41, in 2013.

They have two children Daisy, three, and Ruby, two.

She said: “I became pregnant for the second time only three months after I gave birth to Daisy.

“I realised that as a pregnant mother I missed so many things – certain food and alcoholic drinks and treats really.

“When Ruby was born she was ill for much of the first year and she would cry night and day.

“Her condition went undiagnosed despite a massive amount of medical exploration and intervention.

“Paul and I both suffered horribly from sleep deprivation and we felt guilty that we couldn’t stop her. She clearly wasn’t well.

“It was at this stage that my mental health began to suffer.

“It drove me bonkers and I realised that I couldn’t cope.

“I became angry and frustrated. I turned into a horrible person

“That’s when I became to self harm. I felt that I was going mad.

“The turning point was when I went to the GP. He told me I was ill but that I could get better. The diagnosis meant everything for me.”

That’s when her business idea came to the fore.

She said: “I wanted to help others who may find themselves in a similar position.

“I started blogging and I started doing some research on pregnancy and mental health.

“I feel there is a big stigma with regards to mental health. So many symptoms are undiagnosed.

“Far too many people suffering don’t go to the doctor but it needs talking about, it needs to be normalised.”

Sally is hoping her business will receive a boost next week when she joins the Entrepreneurial Spark in Preston Road, Brighton.

She said: “This is a great opportunity to me, I’m so delighted to have gained an office there.

“It’s going to be a challenge achieving a balance between home life and work but I’m looking forward to the coaching and mentoring I will receive.”

Sally is hoping for a bumper pre-Christmas period.

She also rents space at The Bevy, a community-owned and run business, which stocks her supplies.

One pound from every hamper she sells is donated to The Pandas Foundation which gives support to people coping with pre and post-natal mental illnesses as well as their families, friends and carers.

There are a number of different hampers ranging from an alcoholic one to a liquid lunch and teetotal.

There is also the opportunity to buy jewellery.

Looking forward, Sally is hoping to continue working with the National Childbirth Trust and stage events for new mothers based around mental health.

You can visit her website at https://mumsback.com/shop/