Troubled napper, advice please!

GIJoLana

My son is 6.5 months and only naps when held. I've tried putting him down every day for 2 weeks, but he either only stays asleep up to 15 minutes
or if I keep trying he gets overtired and throws a mini tantrum and isn't easy to calm once he's that tired. After trying today, he was so angry, but I finally got him to sleep 2 hours ON MY LAP. So he sleeps great in my arms, but not on his own. I've tried the swing and bouncer, he gets frustrated quickly. He does fall asleep in the car and stroller and that's fine, but I really want him to nap in his crib or pack n play. I've tried putting him down awake and fully asleep. I keep the room the same temp as bedtime, play the same white noise, and I have darkening shades. We won't do CIO method because he already shows way to much anger in just a few minutes in his crib. He is not emotionally right for that method and neither am I. I don't mind holding him, but I don't want him being a year old and still needing it. He sleeps great at night, just not naps.

BeachBabe22

My daughter won't nap unless I'm holding her so I feel your pain.  Every time I put her down she wakes up instantly. She doesn't sleep at night either so i'm always exhausted!

divajackie67

I put my son down awake and turn on a crib soother:

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Rainforest-Waterfall-Peek-a-Boo-Soother/dp/B000JIMVV4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368546735&sr=8-1&keywords=fisher+price+crib+soother

He stares at it the whole time its on and then starts getting sleepy. It stays on 6 minutes. He's usually passed out by the time it goes off or will be asleep soon after. If he's not then I will turn it back on for another round. 

We also have:

https://www.amazon.com/Hasbro-6552-Playskool-Lullaby-Gloworm/dp/B00008X35E/ref=sr_1_3?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1368546831&sr=1-3&keywords=glowworm

We prop it in a corner of the crib not near him and he will do the same. Stare at it until he passes out. We have a camera monitor so I don't worry about him moving too close to it when propped up. 

I've also read great things about:

https://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Ocean-Wonders-Soothe-Seahorse/dp/B0083IXKYY/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby-products&ie=UTF8&qid=1368546831&sr=1-1&keywords=glowworm 

We only use these only for naps since he doesn't fight bedtime.  

iambethy

My daughter is 7-1/2 months and only naps in my lap too, but I know when she is tired and ready to take a nap. Have you stuck to a routine and kept your LO busy during awake times? No problems at getting her to sleep at night. 

GIJoLana

UPDATE: within a few days of this post I was finally able to get him to nap in his crib and he's been doing it since! What finally worked was that I followed the bedtime routine exactly and let him grumble and cry for a little. I read that it can take 20 minutes for them to fall asleep on their own and he is always out by them, but usually by 5. I won't allow him to get to a full cry because he gets too angry and more awake. If it goes beyond his whimpering/grumbling cry I try soothing him a little and go again. That hardly ever happens now and he's out quickly, but he's teething, so there is a few times when it was a bit more difficult again. My husband and babysitter get him to sleep almost instantly and this upset me until we all thought it through. He is a mama's boy and is breastfed... he would rather stay in my arms. When my sitter told me this, she said "it's because you're that great of a mom and he loves you that much that he doesn't want you leaving" That really made me feel better and makes complete sense!