Dilemma: my 2 yr old won't sleep, should I return to bottle?

[diddle]

My 2 year old son, since moving to cows milk will only have it on cereal and no longer has it before bed. If I offer a proper baby bottle he'll have a little, possibly because the sucking comforts him. But.... He won't have a cup of milk and I believe it is the reason he is waking 3-6 times a night. He screams for us and crys and will let us put him back to bed but doesn't sleep for more than 2 hours or so before waking again.

He'll have water in a cup, but it doesn't settle him. His appetite for food is fine. I've tried removing his short Morning nap but he nods off at 4 then which is worse.

So do I perhaps revert to follow on milk and a bottle unt he's more ready or carry on with the unsettled nights and hope he outgrows it?

My heart says yes, but my head says no. But I'm shattered and so is he.
Help x

That sounds exhausting. When did he stop having a bottle? Does he go to sleep ok to start with? Has anything else changed for him (change of childcare, you going back to work, illness, another baby?).

Personally, I would try to avoid going back to a bottle (and unless you are sure that he is waking because he is hungry it possibly wouldn't make a difference).

If you think he is hungry you could try giving him a snack before he goes to bed - toast, cereal, plain biscuit, yogurt, even a milky pudding and see whether that makes a difference.

Could he be getting any more teeth? If so, maybe Calpol or teething powders might help?

It might sound obvious but does he get plenty of fresh air and exercise during the day?

Thank you, yes he falls asleep fine, races round all day long. He's been without a bottle for around 6 months or so and the only change has been coming out of a cot to a bed, I just wish I was a mind reader, he's got a nightlight and his bed was his cot and is the same mattress sheets etc and even in the same position. I had this with my older 2 boys too but they would take milk from a cup in the night which worked.
My next move before trying milk at night I think will be filling him up before bed more, thank you x fingers crossed