Thanks for playing, sliced bread, but THIS is the best invention in ages.

By ELISSA RATLIFF

Buying pads and tampons isn’t necessarily a difficult experience, especially when compared with, say, fighting off menopausal lionesses in deepest darkest Africa, with only your bare hands and a fork to defend yourself.

But it’s certainly not an experience one relishes. At best it’s a hom-hum chore and at worst it can be rather awkward. Particularly when there is an attractive young man serving you at the supermarket checkout, who resembles Jake Gyllenhaal in every way, shape and form.

If you haven’t guessed it already, I am one of those awkward-types when it comes to feminine hygiene.

And my awkwardness isn’t helped by the fact the colourful packages I have to collect have ‘10 extra long absorbent pads’ scrawled all over them, offering ‘SUPER WINGS’ and ‘ALL NIGHT COVERAGE’. It’s as if the manufacturers want everyone in the supermarket to know for an ABSOLUTE FACT that I have blood leaking out of my nether regions.

But now it seems that the universe has heard my plea.

Women like me will never have to go through embarrassing (read: mortifying) moments like this again. EVER.

According to Huffington Post Women:

A company called Le Parcel now offers to deliver tampons and pads to you each month, along with some chocolate and a handy mystery gift. Users simply select which brands and products they prefer, enter their cycle’s expected start date, and wait for the goods to be delivered right to their front doors incognito (unless the service really takes off, in which case everyone will know what “Le Parcel” contains).

Can anyone else hear the Hallelujah chorus? The better-than-sliced-bread statements?

There are three things in particular that get me SUPER (really super, as in maxi, no leak, with wings super) excited about Le Parcel.

1. When that ‘time of the month’ rolls around, you will usually find me in the feminine hygiene part of the supermarket, inconspicuously trying to stuff as many pads and tampons into my trolley before anyone notices. And then covering the stash with a mass amount of vegetables, shampoos and soaps, just so no one can see what’s actually happening down there.

I admire those women who can walk up to the counter and not care who sees them with a trolley load of ONLY tampons. Their ‘who cares’ attitude is how it should be but for me? It’s not an option, so I end up spending far more than I need to for absolutely no reason at all. And then the vegetables in my fridge go unused and mouldy and smelly. First world problems of the Ninth degree.

2. Le Parcel will also give you CHOCOLATE and a gift. It’s almost enough to make you look forward to getting your period. It sounds better than a boyfriend (sorry boyfriend).

3. And finally, getting mail. Maybe not as significant as the other two points but there is nothing better than receiving a parcel or a letter. And when you are feeling lethargic and crampy – and the PMS Monster is just about to strike, there will be a box waiting in the mail that will make you far happier than that smug Larry character.

Elissa is a Communications student and an intern at Mamamia. She has the longest list of nicknames the world has ever seen, and because of this spends her life informing people how to correctly pronounce her real name. Follow her here.

Do you ever get embarrassed when you buy feminine hygiene products? Would you try Le Parcel?