What should be done when the umbilical cord attached to a baby begins to bleed?

When the umbilical cord attached to a baby begins to bleed, tying or clamping the cord proximal to the first clamp is the appropriate action to take. This step ensures that the bleeding is controlled by effectively sealing off the blood vessels in the umbilical cord, preventing further hemorrhage.

Clamping the cord at this location will also preserve the normal physiological processes that occur immediately after birth, such as the transfer of blood from the placenta to the newborn. This is crucial for providing the baby with necessary blood volume and nutrients, as well as for preventing neonatal hypovolemia.

Other actions, such as pinching the distal cord or cutting the cord, may not effectively manage the bleeding and can potentially compromise the newborn's health by allowing further blood loss. Cannulating the baby's umbilical vein is a more invasive procedure and typically reserved for specific medical situations where immediate IV access is required and should not be the initial step taken in the case of simple bleeding from the cord. Thus, tying or clamping the cord at the correct location is the best course of action.