Can I Train My 13 Month Old to Nap Without Being Held?

You can do it! My daughter napped with me in bed everyday until I decided to put her in the crib for naps at about 12 months. It took about a week (or maybe even longer) of her crying before she got it. I would actually go outside so I wouldnt have to listen to it. She did get it and began napping in her crib by herself. She is a fantastic sleeper today - 3 years later! It is not too late. It was very hard to do, but I have no regrets and would do it again.

Although I didn't hold my son for his naps, I let him sleep wherever he was when he fell asleep (on a mat on the floor or in his bouncy seat mostly). When he was around your sons age I decided that it would be much better for him to be sleeping in his crib so we didn't have to - literally - tip toe around him while he was sleeping. I personally had a very difficult time getting him to sleep in his crib because he always cried for me but one time my mother in law was in town she put him in his crib for his nap and when he cried she went and laid him back down and then quietly sat in the room with him never speaking to him and not making eye contact so as not to engage him (I think she chose a spot on the floor and just stared at it) until he went to sleep. After a few days of this he started taking naps in his crib with very little fuss. She was a life saver. That method may work for you, or maybe someone he is comfortable with could help you for a few days if he keeps crying for you. Good luck!

At that age I rocked my boys to sleep. Once they were alseep, I put them down. I kind of had trouble actually putting them in a crib, so we put a twin mattress on the floor. I had to become aware of what they looked and acted like when they were in a deep sleep. I found out (the hard way) that if I moved them too soon, they would wake up and take awhile to get back to sleep.

Many kids need to be "parented to sleep" (as Dr. Sears puts it). He won't need your help forever. No one goes off to college needed their mom's to help them get to sleep :-)

I wouldn't make him cry it out. First, it's obviously not helping, and secondly, your "mommy instincts" say it's not right. It will take time for him to learn something new for sleep, but it can happen. Can you put the pillow in his crib and put him down to sleep on that, perhaps snuggling him for a while, then as he gets drowsy put him into the crib on the pillow and pat him on the back for a while until he goes to sleep? That way, you transfer him before he falls asleep, and then he won't be awakened by the movement.

I had similar issues with my now 6 year old... I can say that crying it out never worked with her and it got to the point where I just realized it was not going to work and I had to stop b/c it went on for an hour and half. What I did at that age was lie down with her and then when she was asleep slowly get off the toddler bed and then she would sleep. It really is a trial and error thing.. Best wishes to you as I know it can be challanging

I have the same problem and my son is 14 months. At night he sleeps all night (thank goodness). I sleep him in my lap and then when he's asleep transfer him to a "chair/bed" he got for xmas. and he naps for up to two hours sometimes. At night i do the same, i sleep him and when he's deep in his sleep i take him to teh crib. If he wakes up he'll cry for less than five mins, well not even two whole mins. So thats been working for me, before i started doing that he was taking full naps on my lap, and sleeping with my hubby and I in our bedroom. But yes, he doesn't know how to nap on his own and I don't know how to get him to do that. I've also tried the cry it out and during the day , like u said, he will cry cry and not sleep. I will keep checking in to your post to see what other answers you get, maybe i'll find a good tip for me. thanks

he's 13mnths old. he has created a patteren which he finds comforting. you can change this but it will take time. be patient.

If you just started today with the extinction method, you need to give it more time. You definitely want to help him learn to nap in his crib, he needs his sleep. But it's going to take some time to change a 13 month old habit! Hang in there, it will get better and he'll learn to sleep on his own if you just stick it out for the first few days that will no doubt be the hardest.

Maybe try a sleep sack.
They have them for older babies.
If you look on Amazon, they have it.