The umbilical cord will be clamped before it is cut with something to help seal off the open blood vessels in the cord. This is usually a plastic umbilical cord clamp. Though it can also be a metal cord clamp or even cord tape. What is used depends largely on your practitioner.
After the cord has been clamped and cut, it may also be treated. The treatment is usually in the form of a dye. This dye is used to help protect the cord from infection, though it is not a mandatory procedure and varies largely by where you are when you give birth and who is caring for you.
Photo © Robin Elise Weiss
