How to Get Daughter to Nap in Crib?

Edited to add:
That was a pretty important thing you left out...

Talk to your pediatrician...

Original:
Marda's right...

She is expecting you to put and keep her asleep. Are you rocking her? Holding her until she falls asleep is the same.

Put her in her crib and sit down in a chair beside the crib. Put your hand through the slats and pat her on her back or bum until she quiets down. If she's fussy, just say quietly "shhh" a few times here and there. Don't look at her. Have a book in the other hand. You don't want to pay any attention to her. If she's standing up crying, lay her back down, sit, repeat over and over until she stays there. You may have to spend a half hour doing this over and over before she'll give up the first few times.

Your goal is to be able to stop putting your hand between the slats more than a minute or two. It will take time and 100% consistency. DON'T PICK HER UP. When she's finally down, then leave the room. After a week or so, you should be able to leave the room a lot quicker.

It also helps to put her down at the same time every day...

Sounds like she's trained you.:) I suggest you can train her. If you want to, you can hold, nurse her and when she's drowsy but still awake, put her in the crib. She may cry/fuss. Don't pick her up. Only talk to her in a quiet soothing voice but only do so if that helps. Just like with night sleep training, leave for a few minutes; then go back in. Pat her. Let her know you're still here. Then walk out. Increase the amount of time in between.

Does she have a lovey? Put it in her arms. Does she have a favored blanket? Be sure to use that. If she doesn't have one or the other, think about taking her to choose a lovey. Then be sure she has it when putting her in crib. Or consistently use the same stuffed animal and blanket when putting her in the crib. Some babies catch on quickly. Others may need more time. Just be consistent. Do the same thing every time.

Was she napping in her crib previously? Or have her naps always included her falling asleep in your arms?

Can you change the part of your pre-nap routine so you're not holding her, or put her in crib before she nods off in your arms? I think that's what I would try.

I had one little guy who would nap on a bed or couch, but didn't like his crib around that age. He liked hearing noise and so I just let him nap on our couch for that phase. He'd lie down with his stuffy and I'd just cover him up, and he'd nod off. I remember feeling so long as he got rest and I got a break, I didn't care so much how it happened.

My son hated the crib, we don't know why. My husband said we should try a toddler bed and it worked out. My son was around your daughters age when we tried the bed.

at 18 months you can drop one of the 2 naps and have her take one only. by age 2 (24 months) she could drop a nap altogether. (my kids both did) so re evaluate if she really needs as much sleep as your trying to make her get. and try dropping a nap.

She's getting older. She's even old enough to sleep in a real bed. You can put up a baby gate across her door to keep her in the room. If it's set up and safety checked even if she gets up she will be safe and contained. I'm surprised she's not climbing out anyway. Make sure all your bathroom doors are closed and unable to be opened by her no matter what.

I'd say she is just in a phase. Put her down for nap in her bed and stay there until she's asleep. In child care we pull the shades, put on quiet music, pat or rub backs until they fall asleep.

Sometimes putting a kid to sleep isn't as easy as just telling them to go lay down. I suggest you just put her down and put her to sleep and get her back in the habit of sleeping there.