Newborntesting and medication laws.

I think you need to ask the hospital in question directly about what parts of your birth plan they will or won't respect and why.

The hospital in Wuppertal that I went to said they'd wait until the placenta stopped pulsing before cutting the cord, but when I had the c-section, they didn't seem to care about our agreement anymore (they didn't even ASK us about it, just went ahead and did it themselves).

As for newborn testing, I don't know what they have to do or don't have to do.. They did an apgar test (3, I believe, even though she scored high on all of them.. she got 9/9/10).. I don't know what all they did, though. I really wish I could give you more information.

What newborn tests (besides Apgar) are you referring to? I agree with Marijke Rose: you should ask the hospital directly where you plan to have your baby. Some hospitals are more 'user-friendly' than others, and it really could depend on how the birth has gone or who is in attendance.

If you have a midwife, you could ask her as well if she knows what the general pratice is.
Here in Baden-Wurttemberg, it really depends on the hospital and personnel, but as a general rule the midwives here tend to be a bit more 'alternative' and do wait until the placenta/cord stops pulsating.
If I understand my Swäbisch friends correctly, this is important in these parts, because it is the tradition to take the placenta home and bury it under a tree (or sapling) to symbolise growth and for good luck throughout the child's life. If the placenta/cord is cut 'before it's ready' then the 'luck' isn't the same.

Since I just went through the birth experience, I thought I'd tell you what I know now.

The newborn screening test is a test that is required (in Germany) to be done the third day (between 48 and 72 hours after birth) on a newborn whereby blood is taken from his/her little heel and sent to Hannover for results.
If this is not done in the hospital, the midwife or pediatrician (the one doing the U2 on a housecall) is required by law to do it at home.

According to my (wonferdul AP friendly) midwife, the midwives are taught in their schooling that they should wait until the cord stops pulsating before cutting. However, in practice this is not always so. You should ask them at the hospital before going there to deliver.

Hope this helps...