Following delivery of a baby, the newborn has a strong cry and a heart rate of 130 beats/min. What should you do?

In this scenario, the newborn exhibits a strong cry and a heart rate of 130 beats per minute, both of which are reassuring signs that the baby is likely transitioning well to life outside the womb. A strong cry indicates that the infant is likely breathing adequately, and a heart rate within the normal range (above 100 beats per minute) suggests good cardiac function.

Given these positive indicators, the most appropriate action is to keep the baby warm and transport. Maintaining body temperature is crucial for newborns, as they are vulnerable to hypothermia. This requires wrapping the infant in a warm blanket or skin-to-skin contact with the mother to help stabilize their body temperature. Transporting the baby to a suitable facility for further evaluation and care is important, but immediate intervention beyond warmth is not necessary since the vital signs are stable.

Other options, such as suctioning the baby's mouth and nose, may be indicated if there are signs of respiratory distress or secretions that compromise breathing, which are not present here. Ventilating with a bag-mask device is not warranted due to the absence of respiratory failure or distress, and administering free-flow oxygen is unnecessary since the newborn is exhibiting adequate respiratory effort and oxygenation.