Rhiannon Ingle
A five-month-old baby girl tragically died suddenly after her morning feed just days before her very first Christmas.
New parents Alex Reed, 29, and Pat Willis, 28, who are from Victoria, Australia, had their world turned upside down after their baby girl, Isla Addison, was found lifeless and unresponsive earlier this month (8 December).
Heartbreakingly, little Isla couldn't be revived despite the desperate efforts of her mum and a neighbour, as well as paramedics.
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Ms Reed, who is now preparing for her daughter's funeral on Thursday (21 December), has since opened up about her grief following her monumental loss.
She told Daily Mail Australia: "It feels like our purpose has been taken away.
"I'm taking things day by day, minute by minute. Some days are easier than others."
Recalling the day, the mum explained: "Isla had her morning feed after a full night's sleep, as usual.
"We dozed off afterwards and when I got up to give her another feed, she didn't look right.
"I tried to wake her but she didn't respond. I called triple-0 and raced outside screaming to my neighbour for help.
"We then both performed CPR until the ambulance arrived."
When paramedics arrived at the scene, Ms Reed said she 'begged' them not to stop trying to do everything they could to save Isla, adding: "They had to at some point.
"It was an unnatural feeling that no other parent should go through."
Ms Reed described Isla as the 'happiest little munchkin ever', calling her 'our perfect little lamb'.
"She had the gummiest smile and biggest belly laugh," the mum continued. "She was my saviour. Our family had been broken but when Isla came along, she healed everyone's souls.
"Everyone who laid eyes on Isla loved her and she loved everyone."
Following the devastating loss just a few weeks before Christmas next Monday, Ms Reed explained: "We'd been planning to put up the Christmas tree on the day Isla died.
"We had everything ready and were really looking forward to it. Instead, we'll be grieving as a family."
According to the outlet, it is understood that Isla died of natural causes while the couple are currently waiting on test results to see whether or not she had a genetic condition or passed away from SIDS.
The NHS outlines that sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) – sometimes known as 'cot death' – is the sudden, unexpected and unexplained death of an apparently healthy baby.
In the UK, around 200 babies die suddenly and unexpectedly every year.
Ms Reed since urged other parents to take certain precautions with their child, revealing she wished she'd used an ankle monitor which tracks a baby's heart rate for Isla as it 'may have saved [her] life'.
"I want other parents to be aware that one minute you have your child and the next minute, they're gone," she said.
"I urge new parents to monitor their babies closely as I don't want anyone else to feel the pain we do right now.
"I want everyone to know that these things happen more than you think."
A GoFundMe has since been set up by friends to give the mourning couple 'the space to really be in their grief'.
The fundraiser reads: "We thank you all in advance as these funds will be used to help Alex and Pat keep up with their bills and rent while they are unable to work as they come to terms with this unimaginable loss and for therapy bills to support their process of healing and coping during this unbearable time."
You can donate to the GoFundMe here.
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence, contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677