Re the pram not working for your wife, the speed can make the frequency of bumps different. Some people can think "trying to be calm and make no noise" and really that doesn't matter so much for babies IME. So perhaps one of you was too gentle?
My wife always had problems with nap time when they're a bit older 1½-2. But for me it was a process, starting at lunch, moving through story time, then I'd maybe sing or hum snuggled next to them on the bed.
She'd do lunch, then play, then read a story in a really animated way, then try and put them down for a nap and wonder why it wasn't working.
A sling is good, ambulatory frequency, close to heart, they feel your breathing, are warm but heat is regulated by the parents body too.