I was told I'd need pads for a year and I'm just over 3 months. Mine are only lightly damp at this point and I'm considering "panty-liners". I have gone without and also stained clothing. Sooo, I'll wear pads. Always brand is also my favorite. I'm dilating 3 times a day, so I'm using 3 pads.
I use baby oil for lubricant, which gets absorbed, so I don't get much excess lube accumulation.
Patience is the operative term.