Want a pain free labour and delivery? A midwife shares tips for how to prepare and what to expect

Aliccia inspires us when she returns to work as a litigator so she can provide for her children when her attorney husband is imprisoned after a sex and corruption scandal. After spending 13 years as the ‘good wife’ and raising a family as her husband worked, Aliccia has to carve a career for herself pretty much from scratch. Aliccia is very smart and articulate as well as being fiercly protective of her 2 children. We wish we could juggle a high powered job and family life so expertly

Lawyer and former White House advisor Olivia Pope runs Oliva Pope Associates, a law firm that specialises in doing deals under the table and make potentially career destroying and life ruining scandals disappear. We love Oliva’s sophisticate style and her no-nonsense attitude. She also has enviable self-confidence and is not afraid to let people know her worth. She is far from an iron woman, however, as we witness through her complicated affair with the United States president. We often see her visibly emotional over the ins and outs of her cases, but always prioritises her career, telling those who try and take her away from DC: ‘this is who I am

Jessa is a bohemian traveller type and isn’t afraid to stand up for herself. She often inspires her friends with her wild ways, and her admission to being a ‘well travelled woman’ even inspires anxious Hannah to worry (slightly) less. Feminist Jessa influenced us when she said: ‘I’m offended by all the ‘supposed to’s.’ I don’t like women telling other women what to do, or how to do it, or when to do it.’ We wish we were as adventurous and feisty

Feisty Daenerys holds her own against the power hungry male leaders that threaten her kingdom. Daenerys is widowed when her husband is killed by a rival. She then loses her unborn son. Rather than wallow in her loss, Daenerys uses her pain to fuel her hunger to seek what she believes to be her rightful claim to the seven kingdoms. She is also never scared to put those who try to influence her in their place, especially men. She is quoted as saying: ‘you're both here to advise me. I value your advice, but if you ever question me in front of strangers again, you'll be advising someone else

Not only is Tami a devoted wife and mother, but she is also a head teacher and attempts to guide students toward better decisions as she juggles family life. She makes sure her voice is heard, especially when it comes to keeping her daughter, Julie, on the straight and narrow. As Tami tries to stop Julie from making bad choices, she shares some of her own memories and past mistakes, winning over Julie’s respect. We hope we can be as in control and inspiring as Tami

The Mindy Project follows gynecologist Mindy as she tries to juggle her career with her personal life and dating trials and tribulations. Mindy is sassy and outspoken, but also ends up in some comical predicaments, making us want to be her even more

Santana started out as a bit of a nasty piece of work when Glee first sang and danced it’s way onto our screens. We soon learnt that there was more to Santana than her sexy cheerleading uniform and bitchy comments. Santana went from bully to a fiercely loyal friend through joining McKinley High’s famous New Directions Glee club. We love her comebacks too

Leslie is deputy parks director of Pawnee City’s parks and recreation department. She is fiercely loyal to her gang of friends, overly generous at every opportunity and put love and passion into all she does. Her quick wit, boundless enthusiasm and fighting spirit make her a woman we would aspire to be - or at least be best friends with

Though she might sometimes come across as a bit ditzy, we love how Gloria uses her sass to get her way, and she always makes sure her voice is heard. Though she might not be a career woman, she overcame plenty of hardships in order to provide for her son, Manny. We wish we were as confident and bold (and as beautiful) as Gloria

We love how Edith bucked convention and tried her hand at forging a career when she’s offered an editor job. When it comes to love, she follows her heart and embarks on a romance with a married man (though he lives life as a bachelor due to his wife’s incarceration in a mental hospital). Edith falls pregnant and goes to Switzerland to deliver her child to escape being branded an outcast by her family, but returns to Switzerland later to retrieve her baby. Though we by no means wish we had the same dramatic life as Edith, we can’t help but admire the way she follows her own path

Based on real-life writer Jennifer Worth, Jenny Lee inspires us with her passion for her job and her wish to help those less fortunate. Plus she has the lovely Jimmy declaring his love for her

Connie Britton steps out in the shoes of yet another strong female character as country star Rayna James struggles with ageist record label executives in Nashville when they team her up with a younger Taylor Swift-esque singer to boost her record sales. Rayna juggles family life with her recording career and the politics of her relationships with the up and coming musicians. To top it off, she finds out that her husband is having an affair