Which one of the following is the special type of milk produced by a lactating mother, essential for the development of immune response of newborn baby in human?

The correct answer is C, Colostrum. Colostrum is the thick, yellowish first milk a mother produces in the first few days after childbirth. It is small in quantity but very rich in antibodies, especially immunoglobulin A (IgA), along with white blood cells, proteins and vitamin A. These antibodies coat the baby's gut and protect it against infections before its own immune system matures. This is an example of naturally acquired passive immunity, because the baby receives ready-made antibodies instead of making them. Doctors therefore advise starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth. Option A is wrong because milk produced a month after birth is mature milk, which is rich in nutrients but carries far fewer antibodies than colostrum. Option B is wrong because transitional milk comes after colostrum, roughly from the fifth day to the second week, as the mother moves to mature milk. Option D is wrong because mineralized milk is not a stage of human breast milk at all. Exam tip: colostrum carries IgA and gives the newborn passive immunity.