Gradual return to work after parental leave

Hi all,

I'm trying to figure out how people usually handle this in Norway. I took parental leave and then extended it with a period of unpaid leave (permisjon uten lønn). I'm now getting close to going back and I'm wondering about asking my employer for a gradual return instead of jumping straight back to full time.

For those of you who've been in a similar situation, did you ask for a phased return (reduced hours for the first weeks or months, then ramping back up)? How did you bring it up with your employer, and how far in advance did you ask?

I'm also curious whether this is something that's fairly normal and accepted in Norwegian workplaces, or if it's seen as an unusual request that could raise eyebrows, especially coming right after an already extended absence. Any input) around this, or just personal experience, would be really helpful.

Thanks in advance :)