Kristin Cavallari has spoken for the first time about how she’s been coping in the aftermath of her brother’s death, revealing that she found strength in looking after her children - particularly her newborn daughter, Saylor.

The former ‘Laguna Beach’ star, 29, experienced joy and tragedy in the space of a month last December when her brother Michael was discovered dead in Utah just three weeks after she gave birth to her third child. As she grieved, she was forced to keep focussed through circumstance on the new addition to her family, and that has helped her through, she told People magazine in a new interview.

Morning snuggles with my girl. First time I've been able to hold her by myself in a week. #GirlsTrip #LA

A photo posted by Kristin Cavallari (@kristincavallari) on

“I’m okay. I’m going to have good days and bad days, but I’ve really found a lot of strength in my kids, especially Saylor. I couldn’t just fall apart — I had a little baby to look after,” she opened up.

“When you lose someone, it really makes you realize how precious life is, and so I’m just thankful that I have my babies and I’m thankful for everything in my life.”

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The former reality TV actress has recently released her new book ‘Balancing In Heels’. She also spoke about how different she was enjoying her daughter’s “mellow” nature in comparison to her two sons. “Saylor is such a mellow, easy baby, and I have heard that girls are easier in the earlier stages, in the teen years they’re a little bit more work.”

She and her husband, Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler, already had two young sons – Camden Jack, 3, and Jaxon Wyatt, 22 months – and she revealed that they had both got accustomed to having a little sister quickly. Well, sort of...

“They’re really cute, they lay on the floor with her and they talk to her and she smiles and laughs, and she just thinks that they’re great,” Cavallari gushed, but revealed that it wasn't entirely plain sailing.

“The first week was tough with Jaxon. He would get upset every time I was nursing her, he’d grab my Boppy pillow and he’d throw himself on the ground, but once we got through that little phase, it’s been smooth sailing since.”

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