Final answer:
The best way to avoid infections in a young baby is through vaccination of the mother before the baby's birth, as this can confer passive immunity to the newborn. Vaccination at birth and antibiotics can also be measures to protect against certain infections, but systemic protection against infections like measles is best managed through maternal vaccination.
Step-by-step explanation:
The best way to avoid infections in a young baby would be A. Vaccination of the mother before the baby's birth. This is because the mother can pass on antibodies to the baby, providing naturally acquired passive immunity. This means that before the baby can be actively vaccinated themselves, they will have some level of protection against certain diseases.
When it comes to protecting infants, vaccination at birth is also an effective measure for diseases that have available vaccines for newborns, such as the Hepatitis B vaccine. However, for some infections like tuberculosis (TB), which was mentioned in the context of the Lubeck disaster, there isn't a routine vaccine given at birth in many countries. Instead, the BCG vaccine for TB is often given later in childhood.
Antibiotics given at birth can prevent infections known to be transmitted during delivery, such as eye infections resulting from chlamydia or gonorrhea in the mother, but they do not provide systemic protection against infections like measles or whooping cough. Limiting contact with infected individuals (not allowing interaction) could potentially prevent infection, but it is not a practical or reliable preventative method.