Yummy mummy Jacelyn Tay finds it harder to accept acting roles now that her son, Zavier, is no longer a baby.

In an interview with Life!, she says with a laugh: "Now that he's older, he knows what's going on and will try to seek my attention.

After filming, I will head to sleep in his room during his bedtime, but he'll keep disturbing me and even hits my thighs."

Tay, 37, had to spend time away from her 15-month-old son for about three months because she was busy filming her latest Channel 8 drama Game Plan, which premieres next Tuesday.

She plays Moyan, the head of a syndicate of swindlers, who gets caught up in a web of love and revenge as she plots against her childhood friend Haoren (Christopher Lee), also a swindler.

This is the second show she has filmed since giving birth to her son and the first since he grew old enough to miss her when she is away filming.

It has been tough for her too because she is so attached to her son. The first show, Channel 8 drama Pillow Talk, aired in March this year.

The former MediaCorp actress, who now runs Body Inc, a wellness business she co-owns with her husband, Mr Brian Wong, 44, says: "Going home late sometimes after filming was the thing that made me most upset because he would already be asleep."

She dealt with it by taking her cue from another celebrity mother, former actress Ivy Lee, whom she observed heading home during breaks in between filming.

"Whenever I'd time, I'd 'fly' back home to play with my son. I learnt from Ivy Lee, who'd film one scene, go home for just half an hour and rush back for another scene.

"I used to wonder why she did that because it was very tough and she has four kids, but now I understand why. Spending any amount of time with your child matters," says Tay with a knowing tone.

Her husband also helps by sending photos and videos of Zavier should Tay be home late, while her mother and helper would babysit during the day. Luckily for her, she could go home around 7pm "every other day".

She laughingly adds: "Christopher would say I got special privileges because I needed to rush home." As a mother, she adopts a hands-on approach to parenting.

"Of course my helper will help me when preparing food sometimes, but I'll still feed him."